A Billion Hearts to One
by serianri
Summary: Gaara hated himself for falling for his best friend's wife, but that should be the least of his worries, especially when he has an arranged marriage with a missing Sand fugitive. -skip to ch.6 if you just can't wait for GaaraXOC scenes *Takes place after the 4th Shinobi War*
1. Chapter 1

_Dedicated to a special someone who has long captured my heart. You will and always be holding a special place right here. Happy Birthday._

 _With love, I present to you:_ **A Billion Hearts to One**

* * *

Chapter One

Mild wind tossed the drifting grains of sand against the circular structure located in the center of Sunagakure. Sitting inside the ever so quiet Kazekage office, Gaara closed his eyes and tilted his head from left to right to release the built tension in his shoulders. After taking a deep breath, he glanced at the last few unread documents.

The Kazekage habitually picked up a scroll, but it was a vanilla-scented letter buried underneath that caught his eye.

Gaara stared blankly at the letter before slowly moving his hands and carefully lifting the seal. He examined the enclosed content, but not with the usual indifference.

It was an invitation to the Seventh Hokage's wedding. Gaara silently congratulated his blonde friend, but his delicate heart unceasingly ached as he read through each word. As much as he wished for Naruto's newfound happiness, the thought of the soon unattainable blue-haired beauty pained him.

Gaara hated himself for blindly falling for the Hyuga clan heir. It was never his intention to love his best friend's fiancé. He closed his eyes and easily conjured the image of her long navy hair and smooth porcelain skin, something he found himself doing much too frequently.

The Kazekage remained unmoved as he attempted to absorb the sudden news. It was not unexpected. Naruto and Hinata were his close friends and he knew better than anyone that it was inevitable that the two get married. It was only a matter of sooner or later, and in this sense, sooner than what he believed he was prepared for.

Gaara reread the invitation in futile hope that he misread. It then struck him that the wedding ceremony was only a few days away.

The young leader reluctantly stowed away his personal feelings along with the invitation. Now was not the time to be upset, not when he had his own upcoming wedding to worry about.

The Kazekage immediately took out a writing instrument and began writing the elders to postpone his first meeting with the designated fiancé. He knew it was rude for such a short two-day notice, but he valued his friendship over an unborn relationship between himself and a total stranger.

Gaara knew that the elders wouldn't be too receptive of his sudden cancellation, but he had good reason. It served the elders right for abruptly arranging the marriage without his consent. But as justified as his reasoning was, the Kazekage wanted to at least personally apologize to his future wife for the inconvenience. It probably was not her idea to get married either.

The young bachelor sighed as he signed his sincerest apologies. Before completely sealing the letter, a sudden knock followed by the appearance of his brother cut him off from his original intentions.

A smug-looking Kankuro strolled in and casually greeted his younger brother. Gaara looked up and noticed that the puppet-user did not shut the door behind him. The redhead's turquoise eyes wandered to the figure behind the door. Within seconds, a familiar blonde wearing a giddy smile trailed in.

"Naruto." Gaara's voice was low and passive, but the Konoha guest knew his appearance was much welcomed. "Congratulations."

Naruto shyly placed his right hand behind his head and looked at his fellow Kage.

"Thanks." Naruto's grin was so wide that Gaara couldn't help but crack a smile for him as well.

"What brings you here?" the Sand leader asked. "Shouldn't you be working?"

Naruto nodded his head. "Well, Hinata is doing me a big favor and handling most of the arrangements. I've been cooped up in the office doing administrative work, but Shikamaru agreed to sub in today," the blonde triumphantly shared.

Gaara proceeded to scan his friend's attire. Naruto was not wearing his usual white and red hokage robe; instead, wearing his signature orange and black outfit. The fellow Kage raised his eyes slightly, indicating a certain extent of curiosity.

"This fella here is having a bachelor's party and forgot to let us know ahead of time. So as compensation, the Hokage personally came here to escort us to Konoha," Kankuro emphasized, causing Naruto to smile from embarrassment.

Gaara understandingly nodded. He knew the heavy responsibility all too well.

"I'll meet you at the front gate in fifteen."

The reticent shinobi condensed to sand and blew in the direction of his private quarters. Kankuro took to escorting Naruto back to the entrance of the village where they were set to depart.

...

Back in the lively village of Konohagakure, Lee readily toasted a drink to his childhood friend. "To being youthful!"

Everyone raised their glasses and downed the liquor in one go.

"Youth!" Lee sang as he spun like a ballerina in his green outfit.

"Too much alcohol for him," Konohonomaru stated bluntly, barely hiding his own blush from the alcohol. "Here's my toast to you Naruto! May you live a full life being married to Hinata!"

"I accept!" Naruto energetically responded and emptied another glass. From the corner, the crowd heard a light chuckle and directed their attention to the stoic figure situated at the end of the table.

Upon noticing his sudden spotlight, Sai smiled pleasantly and opened his mouth to speak.

"As much as I would like to congratulate you, married life is not as wondrous as it sounds."

Kiba casually wrapped his arm around the pale boy's neck and laughed. Sai wriggled out of Kiba's grasp and continued his explanation.

"My experience with Ms. Yamanaka Ino is proof of that."

All the boys shuddered at the thought and nodded. Even if they choose to ignore his statement, Sai was the only one married thus far. There was no doubt he knew more than they did at the moment.

Sasuke snorted at the comment and all eyes befell him. A sly grin appeared on Naruto's face as he openly hugged his usually blank friend sitting next to him.

"I think the next one may be Sasuke."

The Uchiha flashed his amber eyes and would have attacked the vulnerable blonde if not for the truth in his statement. Things had been looking up for him and the blossoming Sakura.

"I too agree."

Naruto jumped from his seat when he realized that it was Shino who spoke. Somehow it was always only the blonde who forgot about the low-profile Aburame descendant.

"Is that so?" Kankuro let a grin form on his painted face. "Then you're all wrong. The next one to get married would definitely be..."

Before he could finish his sentence, Gaara shot an unmerciful glare at his older brother. The redhead had absolutely no intention of sharing the news of his upcoming marriage.

Everyone noticed the brief wordless interaction between the two sand siblings. Gaara soon received curious glances accompanied with expecting faces. The elder brother exclusively waited for Gaara to come up with a plausible explanation for his unusual reaction.

"The next one may well be Temari and Shikamaru."

Kankuro clapped aloud at Gaara's quick thinking. The puppet master wondered how long his conservative brother could hide his little secret. Kankuro smirked at Gaara who crossed his arms securely over his chest.

"Then the Leaf and Sand would be inseparable." Naruto raised his glass. "To marriage!" And everyone drank.

...

Gaara sauntered through the quiet streets with Naruto on his shoulders. The blonde drank enough to knock anyone dead and it was a miracle that he was still half conscious.

The redhead was not particularly pleased to have been selected to bring the drunken Hokage home. Honestly, he would've preferred Sasuke's job of escorting the wild Whirlwind Lee back home. But at the humble request of the bachelor himself, Gaara couldn't find the heart to refuse.

His shoulders, trained by the many years of lugging a gourd on his back, easily dragged along the weight of Naruto. Gaara normally enjoyed such moments of bonding and simple silence. But this time, he couldn't help but feel uneasy.

The thought of accidentally coming across a certain Hyuga scared him. The very thought of bumping into her distressed him. How he yearned to see her for countless sleepless nights, yet if he were to see her now, it would be to see her walk away to some place forever beyond his reach.

Gaara forced his eyes shut as he tried to block her out—her eyes, her hair, her blushing face, her smile, her gentleness, and her warmth—from further infiltrating his unstable mind. At this rate, he wouldn't have the confidence to even consider moving on. He was stuck in quicksand and unable to move—or so he thought. The possibility that he was unwanting to move crossed his mind, but he immediately shunned that thought out.

Suddenly, a crack of light shone on his face followed by a thin figure slipping out the slightly open door. The smell of baby powder and flowers filled his lungs with the energy of spring and immediately, all anguish evaporated when his turquoise eyes met with the transparent pair.

But despite the appearance of the captivating woman, Gaara preserved his impassivity, expertly concealing all traces of excitement and hurt—a trait he learned as an experienced shinobi and a once-neglected child.

"Gaara-kun." Her sweet, mellow voice sang his name like no other.

The corners of the Kazekage's mouth curved slightly upward as he burned yet another image of the stunning Hyuga into his memory. His gentle eyes fell onto her as he carefully whispered her name.

"Hinata."

The girl's eyes lit up when she realized that the usually distant Kazekage dropped the formalities. She couldn't help slipping out a giggle when she sensed Gaara's slight nervousness that came with simply saying her name.

The Kazekage shifted to draw attention away from himself. He moved to a better position to support his drunken friend.

Light blush covered Hinata's otherwise pale complexion when she saw Naruto's innocent sleeping face. Even after years of interaction, Hinata couldn't get over the overwhelming feeling she got when looking at Naruto. Her eyes, filled with love and acceptance, was directed solely at the oblivious blonde.

Gaara looked away to hide the stinging envy in his own eyes. When Hinata realized that the redhead was still patiently supporting her dear fiancé, she quickly apologized and requested the Kazekage to lay Naruto down on the couch. The girl dug out a blanket and laid it over the Uzumaki, careful not to wake the snoring angel.

She quietly tiptoed out of the room and when noting the absence of the redhead, peeked out the door. Gaara was already heading the opposite direction down the peaceful street. Unable to watch him leave without presenting her earnest gratitude, Hinata hopped lightly onto the street and called out his name in her irresistible soft-spoken voice.

Gaara clenched his fist tightly before regaining his emotionless composure and turning to face the girl.

He stood still, expecting her to speak, but instead was greeted by an amicable smile that pushed aside the darkness surrounding them. Gaara couldn't pull himself away so he continued to stare silently, unwilling to let any exchange of words disrupt the beautiful scene.

Hinata inched forward, taking cautious steps to avoid the tiny night critters crawling on the floor. Gaara kept a steady gaze on the celestial being.

 _Naruto is truly blessed._

The redhead suddenly found himself internally sulking. As if forbidden jealousy hasn't already taken its toll on the stressed Kazekage, he was now torn by the demands of his arranged marriage where he has absolutely no say or even the slightest idea about his future wife.

"Gaara-kun." Hinata's big eyes looked determinedly at the sand ninja. "I promise to take good care of Naruto. So you don't have to worry. Thank you for your friendship all these years and I hope the good relations between the Sand and Leaf continue to prosper throughout the generations." Hinata picked up the redhead's hand to emphasize her candor.

Gaara nodded apathetically. He didn't quite understand why his heart was beating so quickly when Hinata was only initiating casual conversation.

Hinata's smile brightened upon seeing the Kazekage's agreement.

"I'm so glad that Naruto has you as a friend." The blushing girl turned to leave.

"Hinata Hyuga," returned a low husky voice. "It is I who is in deepest gratitude to him."

"Goodnight, Gaara-kun." Hinata flashed one last smile before passing stealthily through the streets, cautious not to wake any of the sleeping villagers.

Gaara watched wordlessly as she disappeared into the night and back to Naruto's side. He gritted his teeth as his right hand clenched his suffering heart.

He needed to forget her—quickly, but more importantly, painlessly.

But alas, that would be too much to ask for a single heart to do alone.

* * *

 **3/14/17 A/N: I must say, I'm a slow writer . just realized the main couple doesn't meet til ch 6 x.x so skip there if you like (tho you'd be missing out on some leaf action)**


	2. Chapter 2

A Billion Hearts to One

Chapter 2

The marriage between the revered Seventh Hokage and the main branch Hyuuga clan brought upon many festivities in the entire village. Prior to the actual wedding, lively parades and performances comparable to New Year's, decorated the streets of Konoha. And on the big day, the crowd was roaring with laughter and congratulations to the newlywed couple.

Gaara stood and watched passively as his old friend went around thanking everyone for attending the special event. To his right, he spotted his sister situated quite intimately next to the crossed-arm shadow user. To his left, sat Sai and wife Ino. The matured blonde beauty was busy chatting with her pink-haired childhood friend. They couldn't refrain from rejoicing at the wonderful job they did on the bride's wedding attire. Sasuke sat quietly next to his blossom with a hidden smile under his apathetic demeanor.

The Kazekage causally leaned against the wall, successfully sealing his already humble presence as he continued to observe the party. He received a few curious and flirtatious glances from several female guests, but did nothing to signal any interest. The redhead maintained the same unenthusiastic composure throughout the party until the stunning bride approached him.

As the elegant woman dressed in the snow-white gown walked closer, Gaara's tranquil turquoise eyes regained some dynamism. The bride lifted her hand to brush the hanging strands of blue hair away from her face before flashing a pure smile to the redhead who immediately began straightening his posture.

"I was looking for you," Hinata folded her white-gloved hands together in relief.

"Congratulations." Gaara looked straight at Naruto's wife. Even with all due effort, the Kazekage couldn't bring himself to smile; thus, retained a passive expression.

"Gaara-kun…" Under the light makeup, Hinata's face flushed red. She sensed that there was more he wanted to convey since the former night. "Um…I…I wanted to thank you again for coming. It means so much to Naruto…and to me."

When no response came, the Hyuuga ducked in embarrassment and took up her old habit of playing with her fingers.

Sensing the growing nervousness around him, Gaara placed a warm hand on Hinata's thin shoulder.

"You were the only one who fully accepted Naruto from the start with no pretenses. There is no better wife for him. I truly wish for both your happiness."

Finally able to deliver his heartfelt message, the Kazekage proudly turned to leave, only to be stopped by the same sweet voice of the blue-haired saint.

"Gaara-kun. I wish you equal happiness when you find the one who truly sees you for the wonderful person that you are. Both Naruto and I would be thrilled to meet her," Hinata nodded confidently.

"Thank you…Hyuuga Hinata." Gaara forced a smile as he watched the married woman walk away to entertain the rest of the crowd.

As soon as she was out of sight, the redhead released a heavy sigh. As much as he wanted to believe that Hinata's blessings would become reality, he knew that it was an empty dream. He was, after all, bound to an inescapable marriage.

The Sunagakure elders had persistently reminded him about the importance of the arranged marriage with the Iyasu clan. Convinced that Konohagakure housed the legendary healers, the calculating Suna Council felt the need to secure their own defense. And the Iyasu—a prestige healer clan from the times of the first great wars—was the perfect solution.

The Iyasu clan was a prized lineage and remained extremely conservative until the past decade due to sudden dwindling numbers. Over the years, many have forgotten the abilities of the specialized coterie, but despite so, their powers have always remained an attractive mystery. It was unexpected that the isolated community would suddenly initiate a political marriage with an outsider.

Such an act was never heard of. But their choice was none other than the highest-ranking ninja of the Sand Village. Presented with such an opportunity to adopt the much-coveted connection, the Suna elders immediately accepted the proposal, much to the young leader's disappointment.

The Kazekage let out another deep sigh as he made his way over to join his brother and the rest of the gang who were giving their celebratory toast to the grinning blonde.

…

When the party was brought to a close, all the guests retired merrily back home. Much to the satisfaction of the newlyweds, Gaara agreed to stay the night in Konohagakure despite previously planning to return to Suna. Temari followed Shikamaru home for the night, leaving the other two sand siblings on their own.

"Hey Gaara…" Kankuro started, finally breaking the eerie silence that entertained them for a whole ten minutes' walk. "Are you sure it's okay for us to stay? It takes at least a day the fastest to return home. I mean, don't you have a meeting with _her_ tomorrow?"

Kankuro's eyebrows went up curiously when his brother shook his head.

"I wrote to cancel the meeting tomorrow. Matsuri should've delivered the message."

"Are you sure?"

"She delivers all letters and scrolls on my desk," Gaara replied with slight apparent annoyance. He didn't quite appreciate his older brother's nagging especially after the exhausting day.

"It seems like you're not too thrilled about your own marriage," Kankuro teased.

"I'm not," the younger brother stated bluntly.

"I guess I fail as an older brother. I should be the one marrying before you." Kankuro rested his hands behind his head as he looked up at the gleaming crescent moon. "But who knows, it might turn out just as good as Naruto's."

"If I had a choice…I would much prefer to choose on my own," Gaara confessed before tilting his head to look up at the smiling moon. "...like Naruto."

…

The very next day back in Sunagakure, a Sand Anbu gestured the expected guest to follow closely behind him. The girl obediently walked into the Kazekage office.

"Wait here. The Kazekage will arrive shortly." The secretive shinobi disappeared quickly in search of the absent leader. But no one imagined that Gaara was still lingering in the Leaf Village, unknowing of the not-postponed meeting.

When the strict escort finally left her alone, the girl tied her straight raven hair into a taut ponytail and ran excitedly to the window. She lifted her hand to shield her lustrous golden eyes from the rising sun and smiled with incomparable radiance.

 _My fiancé must be one incredible shinobi._

….

The Kazekage returned to his home soil two days after the wedding ceremony. The sand blew in the same aimless pattern, swaying left then right then back left like any normal afternoon. Taking advantage of his short vacation, Gaara sauntered through the streets, absorbing every detail of his beloved land.

Since his succession to his current post, Sunagakure had undergone tremendous changes. Despite being a desert, the people are in no way in lack of energy.

As he took a rare leisure stroll, Gaara's calm gaze met with a few passing citizens who nodded in reverence and appreciation. Over the years, the villagers learned to produce a livelier atmosphere with much more ease when around him. This pleased the Kazekage, causing him to momentarily break from his stone expression and crack a tiny grin.

But as carefree as things appeared, his heart was still not at ease. He couldn't help but ponder about the major upcoming task. He didn't want to admit it, but he was once again filled with an agonizing feeling weighing down his heart.

Would _she_ be scared? Would _she_ accept him? A river of mixed thoughts and unanswered questions tortured Gaara all the way back to the Kazekage tower.

He couldn't understand. As such a young Kage with countless commendable accomplishments, he couldn't believe that he would ever again be thrown into a state of confusion and self-consciousness of such degree.

When he looked down at his hand, he realized that it was clamping down on his heart as if to shield a pain he remembered so vividly. Instinctually, Gaara removed his hand and placed it by his side. He didn't plan to publicly showcase any of his emotions on this issue.

Upon hearing the echoes of approaching voices, Gaara opened the door to his office, only to be greeted by an unfamiliar scent of honey—something a little too sweet for his taste. He preferred something more mild and light…like fresh flowers…like Hinata.

Thoughts of the longhaired ninja barged into his mind. Hinata carried the scent of flowers. But before any more fantasies consumed him, Gaara mentally halted himself. It was time to move forward from the married Hyuuga. She was married—married to the most admirable, respectable, relatable guy he knew.

Stowing away all personal feelings, the Kazekage cautiously walked into his supposedly vacant headquarters. He walked over to his desk and examined all its contents. Nothing was moved except for the extra loads of paper delivered by Matsuri. He checked the chairs, the lighting, and everything that furnished the plain-looking office. Nothing. But somehow, he felt that someone beside Matsuri had been in the room.

After no particular clues, Gaara sat down and placed his elbows on the desk. Within seconds, Baki appeared as if through silent summoning.

"Kazekage-sama." The older gentleman lowered his head to pay his respect.

The Kazekage looked straight at his assistant, prompting him to voice the news he came to relay.

"Three of our ninjas returning from a mission were ambushed near the outer walls of Suna. They are being rushed to the emergency room—all in critical condition," Baki reported.

"Culprit?" Gaara questioned, wasting no effort to mask his rage.

"Unidentified," Baki responded. "But one of the victims briefly mentioned something about 'female, black-hair, golden eyes'."

Gaara stood up and as if on queue, a Sand Anbu appeared and kneeled before him.

"When and who did you let into my office?" Gaara asked authoritatively.

"Kazekage-sama. Yesterday morning I brought your fiancé into the village and allowed her to wait here," he answered spontaneously.

"Where is she now?" Baki asked with urgency. Seeing the masked ninja lower his head, Baki prompted, "Speak."

"The elders learned that Kazekage-sama did not show, and so they called to meet with the Iyasu girl this morning. She should have left the village by now," the Anbu responded.

Gaara nodded understandingly and instructed Baki, "Bring a search party and locate the girl. Bring her back to Sunagakure at all costs. She is a suspect."

After receiving orders, Baki teleported out of the office, leaving the recently returned Kazekage alone with the Anbu.

"What of their meeting?" Gaara asked unhesitantly.

"The elders are furious. They believed you did not show to avoid the marriage."

Gaara gave a look of confusion and then began scavenging his desk. As he suspected, on the very bottom of the pile, sat an unsent letter intended for the Iyasu clan. Matsuri most likely missed the letter and covered it. Since the cancellation notification never reached the girl, it was only natural that she came without him knowing.

"And of the girl?" Gaara finally asked, allowing a little guilt to sink in. After all, he did have his arranged fiancé wait all day for a no-show.

"She holds no resentful feelings. She has also humbly requested that the elders drop any punishments towards Lord Kazekage," the Anbu replied thoroughly.

"Is there something you want to say to me?"

The Sand Anbu looked up at his leader and respected friend.

"Gaara-sama. _She_ is a lovely girl—very down-to-earth. I do not believe she is involved in the attack on our sand ninjas."

"We won't know until we interrogate her, but her leaving at the same time is too coincidental. If she were truly innocent, she would've stayed to explain."

"Yes, Kazekage-sama." The Anbu stood to leave.

"But I also hope that she is indeed innocent," Gaara said more to himself than to his subordinate.

After hearing the honest words of the young lord, the Anbu disappeared.

Gaara walked out to look out the window.

 _My fiancé…what kind of person is she?_

….

The panting girl felt her vision blurring. She rubbed her eyes a few times, but to no prevail. Double images of trees flashed in front of her and she soon found herself lying on the floor. The ground beneath her was no longer sand, but green grass. It comforted her that she was in a new region, but she knew that her pursuers wouldn't give up easily.

Her legs were exhausted and refused to move even the slightest muscle. She mustered all her remaining energy to move her arms. So inch-by-inch, she persistently crawled forward.

 _I can't get captured. I can't let_ _ **them**_ _capture me. The Iyasu clan depends on this…I need to move…further…_

Although everything was spinning around her, footsteps and the sound of rustling leaves kept her mentally alert. The girl forced open one eye to see the approaching stranger. She couldn't see who it was, but somehow, as if by intuition, she knew she could trust that person. And finally, she allowed herself to rest.

The blonde ninja kneeled and picked up the unconscious girl in his firm arms before returning stealthily to his village.

* * *

 **So happy to see you again! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for your readership and support.**


	3. Chapter 3

A Billion Hearts to One

Chapter 3

Hinata drenched a white towel into a bucket and pulled it back out. Draining the excess water, she carefully placed it on the burning forehead of the girl squirming uncomfortably on the couch.

After placing another blanket on the still-unconscious girl, Hinata retreated back into her room where her husband sat on the bed with his arms folded across his chest. A worried expression dominated his usual jubilant face.

Hinata placed her hand on Naruto who returned her caring gesture with a warm appreciative smile.

"Sumanai, Hinata." Naruto cast his eyes sadly to the floor. "I just couldn't leave her."

Hinata knew the pure intentions of her overly kindhearted husband, but she also knew that he could be unnecessarily nosy and naïve when it comes to other people's businesses.

"Mm-mm." Hinata shook her head. "I don't mind that you let her stay with us until she gets better."

"Thanks Hinata." Naruto regained a little enthusiasm after seeing how compassionate his lovely wife was.

"But Naruto. I still don't think we should keep her a secret. The Sand ninjas are looking for a girl and she fits the description. We should at least tell them. After all, the search party was personally led by Baki-san so it might be a very important matter."

"I know, but we can't tell them…yet."

"Naruto. We need to at least get her a doctor. Her fever is getting higher and it has already been two days. I'm scared she won't make it…" Hinata looked seriously at Naruto. "We need to tell the Sand."

"We can't." Naruto looked away. "I promised."

 _The girl blinked as she began to awaken. A handsome whiskered blonde was looking at her with concerned clear water-like eyes. She slowly removed her pounding head from using his broad chest as support. When she finally looked up at the person lifting her, her eyes widened in horror and she instinctually pushed away. The feeble girl almost fell off, but his tight grip around her slender waist kept her in place._

" _I mean no harm," the matured voice of the carrier sounded._

 _The confused girl then placed a small hand on his sturdy shoulder to keep balance. A slight blush tinted her sunburned face._

" _Don't worry. I'm taking you to my village."_

 _After hearing those words, the girl released her grip on her savior's shoulder in defeat._

" _Put me down," her little voice ordered weakly._

" _It's not too far." The cordial stranger's smile showered her with the balminess of the afternoon sun. "I can carry you there."_

" _I'm not going. Put me down," the girl repeated impatiently._

 _Confused at the sudden change of mood, he complied. The Good Samaritan helped the struggling girl to her feet. But the moment he released his hold on her, her knees failed and sent her plummeting straight to the unpaved ground._

" _Let me help." He volunteered his hand for support._

" _I don't even know you. There are people chasing me. If you help me…you'll get hurt…like those sand ninjas…"_

 _The raggedy girl clutched onto the side of the navy cloth covering her dirtied grey shorts and then courageously pushed the blond away. "Go…before they get you too…" she said while struggling to suppress welling tears._

 _The ninja looked at her with increased worry. Based on her appearance—ruined ponytail with loose strands everywhere, bandaged right shoulder, torn tan corset top, most likely the work of a kunai, worn out black sandals, scrapes and bruises on her uncovered sunburned skin—she must've travelled very far._

" _Since I found you, I'm going to help you." When he saw the girl look up in shock and disbelief, he was resolute in protecting the defenseless stranger. "I promise."_

 _Perhaps it was the alluring gold color shining from her round eyes or the sleek black hair that whispered danger, but something about her intrigued him._

" _The people after me are skilled ninja. Please, just leave." The girl nodded in appreciation._

 _As if ignoring everything she said, the determined blonde lifted her once more and stared into her mystic eyes and childishly grinned. "I'm Naruto."_

 _Despite the ineffective protests coming from the girl in his arms, Naruto continued to walk. When the girl realized that it was pointless to argue with the stubborn ninja, she finally gave in and locked her hands behind Naruto's neck._

" _Shoumei."_

 _Naruto's head tilted slightly as he repeated the name. "Shoumei."_

 _The girl blinked confusedly at the blonde. "Naruto. Aren't you curious about me?"_

" _Yeah." Naruto flashed a brilliant smile. "But for now, I'm okay with just knowing your name."_

" _Naruto. I can't be caught. Do you understand?" Shoumei asked in a small voice._

" _Who are you running from?"_

The Uzamaki-Namikaze couple contemplated a little longer when the sound of violent coughing alerted them from outside of the living room. Hinata dashed outside and helped the fevered girl to a glass of water.

Naruto rushed out and knelt beside the couch and watched as his wife gently lay Shoumei back down.

"Naruto…her temperature went up. She needs help," Hinata's voice broke before she let little tears of worry trickle down her cheeks.

Without further words, the blonde darted out in search of the only healer he had in mind. After peeking inside the Haruno residence, Naruto's face lit up.

The hawk-eyed kunoichi noticed a familiar figure standing behind the door and got up to greet the Hokage.

"Naruto. What are you doing here?"

"Sakura-chan…I need your help."

Sakura scanned her trusted friend and folded her arms in front of her chest. She recognized those eyes—the eyes that Naruto had whenever he was caught up in some other people's business.

"My help?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

"I can trust only you Sakura-chan. Please at least come with me first," Naruto implored.

But even before the pink-haired ninja gave an answer, Naruto yanked her by the arm and led her to his house.

….

Upon laying surprised eyes on the febrile girl, Sakura shot a piercing glare at the Hokage.

"Naruto. She is the one the Sand is looking for, isn't she? Why are you hiding her?" Sakura asked a little agitated. "Are you trying to destroy our alliance with them?"

"Sakura-chan. She needs your help." Naruto was serious. And Sakura knew it.

Sakura also knew that her comrade could be quite impractical at times. Even after succeeding as the Hokage, Naruto was the same boy who would entangle himself in matters that didn't even concern him. But after all that, Sakura too had to admit that she was always still part of all his little rescuing missions. The healing ninja let out a sigh of defeat.

"Naruto. I can look at her, but I have to tell the Sand. We don't know who she is. And we're not jeopardizing our relations with Sunagakure for a mere stranger."

Naruto glanced at the suffocating girl on the couch and then nodded.

…

In the border separating Amegakure and Tanigakure, and connecting Sunagakure and Konohagakure, existed a hidden mountainous region that harbored the secretive Iyasu clan.

Baki ordered his special team to be cautious when scavenging the recently disclosed area. But after sensing intruders, several men led by the head Iyasu's son approached the uninvited ninjas.

The Sand team leader eyed the young man wearing only a tan vest over his bare chest and common dark blue pants. He deducted that the man was not a year over thirty and was quite respected in the way he stood proudly with undeniable presence.

"I am Kouhei of the Iyasu. Have you come to inform us of the designated date of the marriage, Sand people?"

Matsuri, who was standing in the back, stepped forward. She looked directly at him who stood a head taller than her.

"Much to the contrary. We are looking for the woman you sent over."

"Shoumei?" Kouhei questioned.

Baki nodded accordingly. "Did she happen to return to the Iyasu?"

Kouhei shook his head. "Shoumei was instructed to stay with the Sand and not return until after the wedding ceremony."

The Iyasu heir's calm appearance then changed to a more serious expression.

"Are you suspecting something?" Kouhei asked defensively.

"No."

Kouhei hinted at the squad of Anbu standing behind Baki. "With all those ninjas, I would say otherwise."

Matsuri's face turned sour. "That girl is a prime suspect for injuring three of our Sand ninjas. Hand her over for interrogation."

"My cousin would never injure anyone of the Sand," Kouhei spoke with absolute certainty.

"How would you know?" Matsuri challenged. "You're her cousin so you would help her."

Kouhei then stepped forward until he was towering over the feisty girl. And with the most authoritative voice, answered the tiny shinobi's question.

"We are the Iyasu—an elite healer clan. We know not how to use weapons much less fight. And for this purpose, we are seeking the protection from Sunagakure through this political marriage. Would you then think we would attempt to imperil our relations with the Sand?"

…

Sakura raised her hand from the girl and wiped away the tiny droplets of sweat rolling down her forehead. She took off her gloves and placed it casually down on the table like she did after any hard day's work.

Naruto gleefully went over to see Shoumei sleeping peacefully, finally catching up with the rest she wasn't able to get due to the fever.

Sakura waited for Naruto to look at her before she motioned for the blonde Hokage to follow behind. Naruto quietly shut the door and then looked at a concerned Sakura.

"Naruto… I'm getting a weird vibe from her. It was just a normal fever but I used up a good amount of chakra just to heal something so simple," Sakura rubbed alongside her arm. "She may be a ninja."

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know, Sakura-chan. I don't sense that from her."

"Naruto. She's doing a good job hiding it. No normal citizen has that much chakra capacity."

Sakura shook her head in confusion. Then she walked back over to the girl.

"Did she have a headband or any weapons when you found her?" Sakura asked curiously.

The Hokage shook his head. "Just tattered clothes."

"This is all she had with her." Hinata walked out with a bundle of clothes in her hand. Sakura quickly went to the blue-haired ninja's side to search for anything suspicious. They found no hints.

Naruto walked disappointedly to the two important girls in his life. It was difficult for him to make out his own feelings at the sight of them trying to find fault with the girl he chose to save. When their search proved futile, he quietly took the clothes away from Sakura.

"It's getting late. You should go," were the only words he offered before sending the medical ninja away.

After Sakura exited, Naruto retired back to bed as well, with Hinata following right after.

…

Naruto awoken to some strange sounds he heard beyond his bedroom door. He turned to his side to see a baby-faced sleeping Hinata next to him and smiled before stealthily getting out of bed to investigate the source of disturbance.

As he walked out, he noticed that the couch was empty. A few of the drawers by the side of the living room appeared to be rummaged.

 _Shoumei couldn't have…_

But before any accusing thoughts crept into his mind, Naruto was comforted by the sight of the black-haired mystery girl, alive and well—hungry, very hungry. Slowly picking up the emptied cups of ramen and food reserves he hid even from Hinata, Naruto eventually made his way to the girl who was situated at the corner of the kitchen.

"Seems like you're making yourself at home. Not running away anymore?"

Naruto's kind gaze landed on the girl who finally returned to her senses and rubbed the sticky crumbs from her face with the back of her small hand. Shoumei offered a half-guilty half-teasing smile.

"Well, trying to stock up on the energy first." Shoumei continued eating.

"I think you just made yourself a new enemy," Naruto said with a half-sigh and sat down next to her and opened a cup of instant ramen.

"You?" Shouemi asked, pointing her chopsticks in the blonde's direction.

"No. My wife. She doesn't like messy."

"Oh."

And until the last bit of food settled in their stomachs, the two new acquaintances talked through the night. Naruto enjoyed such brief moments of simple interactions. He often reminisced of the old days when he went out on missions, doing nothing but be himself.

Somehow, she made him feel that way. And grateful he was indeed. But that was also what made him more confused. What could the Sand want with her? Who is she really?

Those thoughts stuck with him and even kept him awake until the mellow sound of Hinata's steady breathing lulled him back to sleep.

…

The next morning, Naruto found himself awakening to the undeniably beautiful sight of his wife cooking breakfast in a perfectly clean house. The previous night's mess was gone—that was a good thing. He glanced over at the guest who was already at the table. Shoumei gave him a quick wink.

Pulling out his chair, Naruto watched patiently as Hinata brought food the table and the three began to dig in. It was like any relaxing morning, until the sudden knock at the door followed by a barge in from two almost invisible black ops.

Naruto pounced up to shield the target but a firm hand threw him back a few steps and held him there, preventing him to move. Soon after, Kakashi slipped in along with Iruka.

"Let go, Sasuke," Naruto ordered, his blue eyes flashing with anger at the intrusion.

The Uchiha did not bat an eyelash and looked over at Hinata. The Hyūga ducked her head and walked to one side as the other ninjas grabbed Shoumei.

"Let go Sasuke," Naruto repeated once more with more composure. And this time, his best friend did as told.

Adapting an expressionless face, Naruto quietly watched as Shoumei was dragged away by his own subordinates while screaming his name with confused tears running down her cheeks. And all he could do, was watch in silence.

When the scared cries faded in the background, the Hokage turned to his wife who confirmed that she was okay. Naruto nodded and faced the extra visitors to his home.

"Send a message to Gaara asking for permission to interrogate the suspect in the Leaf. And then send for Ino."

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A/N: You see, this chapter was delayed because a whole good portion was randomly deleted! I panicked...then went into a slump...then mustered the courage to retype everything. :D You had better enjoyed this chapter.


	4. Chapter 4

A Billion Hearts to One

Chapter 4

Hands folded behind his back, Naruto walked into the interrogation room with Kakashi and Shikamaru following behind. Sasuke was already there with Sakura standing closely by his side in the corner of the room. All eyes were looking at the completely white room through the glass separating them and the actual interrogation space.

Ino was standing confidently in front of the girl who was caged and unable to move. The prisoner faced a white wall in the opposite direction where she could not see her unannounced audience. The mind-controlling ninja looked at the Hokage and when he gave his cue, placed her hand on top of the Shoumei's head and closed her eyes.

The audience waited quietly but not all with the same patience. Shikamaru focused mainly on Ino who took longer than she ever did when looking through someone's mind. This distressed him, causing him to conjure up a few unappealing possibilities that he was sure, if presented to the Hokage, would very much upset him. On the other hand, Kakashi-sensei was much too relaxed that it seemed passive. Sasuke was indifferent, only showing slight irritation at Sakura's grip on his arm. Sakura, more than anyone in the room, hoped for the suspect's innocence. She wanted Naruto to acknowledge that her decision to turn Shoumei in to the authorities was the right move. So far, Naruto have not really responded to her, only sparing her a half nod upon entering.

And there was Naruto. He did not hope for Shoumei's innocence because he knew she was innocent. He only hoped that the reason Ino was taking so long was because she was confirming and not because of anything else. But he was grateful that Gaara allowed the interrogation to occur on Konoha soil. That proved his sand brother trusted him enough to handle such matters, indicating that no national relations have been compromised due to this incident.

About three hours later, Ino lifted her hand and stepped back. The Yamanaka was breathing heavily, panting like she just exhausted her chakra, something that did not happen often when performing such a task. The few other mind readers escorted her out to the area where the Hokage was residing. All eyes were on her, and their silence communicated their curiosity.

"I cannot fully infiltrate her mind," Ino said in defeat.

This was disappointing news. Naruto knew that if Ino was at a lost, then he would have no choice but to send her back to the Sand for further interrogation. It was not that he feared that Shoumei would be harmed; it was just that he hated to break promises.

"But…"

All eyes lit up to hear the hopefully good news. Ino satisfactorily smiled. "I can bet on my pride as an interrogator that this girl is indeed innocent."

Shikamaru smirked. And the tension in the room was pacified. Everyone knew that Ino prided herself in being the top interrogator in all of Konoha history, following her renown father.

"I just hope Kazekage-sama is satisfied with the report," Shikamaru said light-heartedly and took out a lighter.

"If not, then his future-brother-in-law would just have to help talk him into accepting," Naruto joked back.

His pent-up nervousness was finally calmed. Now, he had both Ino and Shikamaru backing him up. He turned to his Team Seven. Kakashi gave a thumbs-up and walked out. Sasuke grinned his cheeky grin and followed out.

"Ino." A worried expression appeared on Sakura's face. "Did your chakra seem like it was spilled into her?"

At this, Ino nodded. "This is usually a simple job, but her brain had many forbidden areas that did not let me access. I wonder why. But the vibe I get from her. She is, to say in the very least, innocent."

"I'm not so sure. Ino, we should probably detain her to check…" Sakura began, but Naruto cut her off saying that he had a few words with the longhaired blond. Unwillingly, Sakura left the room with Shikamaru escorting.

Instead of talking to Ino after offering her a seat, the Hokage went inside the interrogation room himself. He bent down and unlocked the cage that inhibited Shoumei. Naruto bore an apologetic smile as he helped the girl and escorted her into the area where Ino was resting.

Shocked at how trusting Naruto was, Ino stood up, only to feel tired and sit back down.

"Hahaha. No need to be so formal, Ino. You're off work. Let me introduce you. This is Shoumei." Naruto gave the small girl a gentle push in the back.

Shoumei smiled at her interrogator and without a word, reached for the Yamanaka's hand. Ino was shocked at the gesture and instinctually pulled away, but seeing that the girl was offended by her action, Ino recovered and extended her own hand. Shoumei smiled and shook it lightly.

After the brief interaction, Shoumei nodded and followed Naruto out of the room. Ino slowly sat back in awe. Even though it was only a touch, a good feeling surged within her. She knew Shoumei Iyasu was not someone to be taken lightly. She also knew then, with full certainty, her judgment was correct. With a satisfied sigh, she got up and headed out to buy groceries. Sai would not be happy waiting for the ingredients for dinner. Ino chuckled to herself, it was great to have a husband who knew how to cook.

…..

Breathing in the fresh air, Shoumei spun around a few times as she marveled at the cherry blossom petals fluttering around her as Naruto personally walked her out of confinement.

"So I'm guessing you're someone important here, huh?" the girl asked as she skipped ahead, still overjoyed by her freedom. Naruto was glad to know that she held no hard feelings against him or his friends.

But that was the last thing on Shoumei's mind. It had been much too long since she felt so relieved that she even forgot to worry about her mission. Naruto only gave a quiet snort and watched the girl run around.

"This village is so beautiful…" Shoumei looked up at the big cherry blossom tree she was standing under and stuck out her hand. In her mountainous hometown, seeing such sights would only be in her dreams. After all, aside from being assigned to meet the Kazekage, this was the first time she had been away from Iyasu territory.

To avoid war and unnecessary struggles, the Iyasu clan chose to turn a blind eye and cut off their existence from the rest of the ninja world. It may seem unsightly for an elite healer group to neglect others, but it was also due to the kindness that they once held that led them to secure their decision.

In the times of the Great Wars, when Iyasu healers were sent out to aid the injured, many of the Iyasu people ended up helping different groups; thus, turning against each other. Also, as a rule of thumb, to win the war you must kill off the medics, the Iyasus were main targets. And when the outsiders slowly discovered their hidden gifts, they became an endangered group. It was eventually decided that after the Second Shinobi War, the Iyasu would close its doors to the rest of the world.

Since then, no Iyasu had been allowed to step out drawn boundaries. If ever there were violations, the clan would not hesitate in assassinating the traitor in order to maintain the safety of the rest of the tribe. But for the past few generations, the legendary healers suffered rapid dwindling numbers. And the cause—the last one they suspected and the hardest one to accept—was the treachery of existing members. There had been a leakage of the secret jutsu that the Iyasus had knowledge of. And now, they were being hunted.

As she closed her eyes and faced the vast blue sky, she could picture herself adapting here almost instantly. But a sudden chill shot up her spine, forcing her eyes immediately open, breaking the mere reverie.

 _What was that…_

Before she had time to process, there was a low angry-sounding growl and turning to her right, she spotted a large white wolf-like dog dashing madly towards her.

"Kiba! She's a friend! Stop him!" Naruto yelled, unable to stop him himself due to the distance.

"Akamaru! NO!" Kiba's voice warned, but to no avail.

Akamaru tackled Shoumei directly to the floor, causing a loud impact to sound across the whole street. All eyes stared in worry as they saw the image of Akamaru's big body hovering on top of the limp body of the mysterious girl. All the while, bearing his fangs mercilessly and still growling.

* * *

 **A/N: Hehe thank you so much for reading! How was chapter 4? Hope you liked it. God! I seriously got to get a move on this.**

 **Anyways, special thanks to DizyWillow and PillowLover for commenting! It makes it worthwhile to post.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi everybody! I finally wrote ch 5! Thanks for coming back to read :D**

* * *

Chapter 5

All the villagers stood in shock as the giant ninja dog hovered over Shoumei's immobile body. Kiba and Naruto both immediately dashed to rescue Shoumei from under Kiba's large paws, and were much relieved when they realized that she was alive and well, completely unharmed. Akamaru kept his stance and continued to growl and bare his teeth, but Kiba gave his comrade a reassuring pat.

"Akamaru, this is a friend," Naruto sighed. "You shouldn't just prance onto people like that."

"Well, Akamaru probably thought that she was an intruder. She matches the description of the Sand fugitive," Kiba immediately defended.

The two continued to lightly bicker until they caught sight of Akamaru snuggling close to the female stranger. Shoumei let out a little giggle and gave the bear-like creature a big embrace, stroking his fur just the way he liked it. At the strangely comforting sight, Kiba made his way over to the girl.

"Akamaru doesn't usually jump on people. I hope he didn't frighten you." Kiba looked apologetically at the girl, rubbing his neck with one hand.

The stranger didn't look up, but continued to pet Akamaru with a smile on her face. "What's there to apologize about?"

Akamaru sat down and craned his neck a little, allowing for Shoumei to continue stroking him. Kiba silently delighted in the sight of the mysterious girl immediately bonding with his friend. Her black hair contrasted Akamaru's snow white fur, but her golden eyes were wild and alive, filled with an energy he was quite pleased with.

"I'm Kiba Inuzuka," the Konoha ninja introduced with a grin. "He's Akamaru."

"Shoumei." The girl offered Kiba a pleasant smile before turning back to the ninja dog. "Thank you Akamaru. It was very brave of you to shield me." Akamaru only beckoned her to continue her gentle strokes.

Naruto then looked at Kiba who looked back with slight worry. Akamaru growled a bit, and Kiba confirmed his suspicions with Naruto. There was a strange "other" presence lurking about in the village. Akamaru sensed imminent danger directed to the released prisoner and used his body to cover for her. The worry then shifted to the unknown and subtle presence. It was very unusual for two of Konoha's best sensory ninjas to allow an intruder go undetected. Strange indeed, stranger that it appeared the same time Shoumei did.

Suddenly, a new presence disrupted Naruto from his deep thoughts. Baki and a few other suna black ops appeared and handed the Hokage a scroll.

"Hokage, it is time for us to bring her back." Shoumei shot a glance at Naruto with sudden shock before recovering quickly. Baki's untrusting eyes landed on the Iyasu girl who gave Akamaru a final pat before walking towards her Sand escorts.

"The interrogation confirmed she is innocent," Naruto stated firmly.

Baki nodded and tilted his head, signaling his subordinates to take the girl. "The Kazekage is awaiting her presence."

Reminded of her duty, Shoumei immediately glanced down at her torn clothes, and was instantly aware of her unsightly presence. Flushed from sudden embarrassment, the girl tried pulling the knee-length sarong down to cover her dirt-covered cashmere shorts. She quickly slid off her blood stained holey elbow length fingerless gloves and stuffed it in her pockets. After fumbling to fix her hair, she finally got the last strand back into a high ponytail, and looked down. A blueish bruise sat on her left shoulder accompanied with a few cuts, exposed and uncovered. Shoumei's brow furrowed for she knew not how to hide that unpleasant sight. Her eyes began to water as she panicked.

"Baki-san. There is something I need to discuss with Shoumei. Would it be alright if I send her back a little late? I'll have her back by tomorrow." Naruto's confident eyes rendered Baki defenseless and he agreed to the Hokage's terms.

With the departure of the Sand ninja, Naruto directed his attention back to Shoumei who looked bashfully at the Hokage. Naruto flashed a cheeky grin.

"Hinata might be of help."

…

Walking out of the house, Shoumei surprised Naruto with her cleaned up look. Wearing some of Hinata's clothes, which were much different from her tattered outfit, Naruto could've mistaken her for a Leaf villager. She laughed a little uncomfortably.

"Hinata-sama gave these to me. You guys did so much for me, I'm a bit embarrassed that I have nothing to give back to you Hokage-sama."

"Naruto. Naruto is fine," the blonde assured her. "If you want to make it up, accompany me for a stroll."

Shoumei recalled seeing the tall green trees which shielded her from the blazing sun that chased her all the way from Sunagakure. For this, she quite enjoyed the slight breeze and shelter it offered then and now. The warm feeling of the village radiated even out in the forest area, something she hadn't sensed back in the Sand.

"Why are you wanted in the Sand?" Naruto finally broke the silence.

Shoumei smiled slightly. "I'm on a mission that I don't have the liberty to share. I'm really sorry. But I promise I have no intention of hurting anyone."

Naruto shook his head. "I trust you."

"You're a good man, Naruto," Shoumei said, her golden eyes housing nothing but sincere truth, causing the blonde to blush at the compliment. "I just hope the Kazekage would be the same…"

"Gaara is a good guy. I can attest to that with my life." Naruto stated positively.

Shoumei nodded and walked ahead when she was suddenly rammed from the side, and was sent crashing onto the ground. She gasped for air and when she got ahold of her senses, she scrambled back up to see that the force was a clone of Naruto. The Naruto shadow clone was by her side, with a kunai drawn and positioned to attack.

Perhaps a dozen more clones surrounded a masked man whom Shoumei immediately recognized as one of her previous pursuers. As she thought, they didn't abandon the hunt. Her eyes widened in terror but before she was able to speak, an explosive was sent in her direction. The clone by her side snatched her away and dodged the explosion.

After clearing her eyes from the smoke of the explosive, Shoumei saw the trees around her flashing by. The Naruto clone was most likely drawing her away from the enemy but before they got far, the clone disappeared into a puff of smoke, dropping the girl from the branch of the tree. Luckily, the real Naruto caught her in time before she plummeted to her death.

Naruto pulled Shoumei to run with him, confused about what was going on. A couple of times, he tried jumping back up on the trees where camouflage was more successful, but failed to do so each time. The Hokage sprinted towards the direction of the village, not allowing a chance for Shoumei to explain nor catch a breath. And when finally the girl couldn't keep up, she tripped and tumbled to the floor.

Naruto swerved to pick her up, but ended up drawing a shuriken to deflect another ninja weapon from flying straight to Shoumei. That wasn't right. It wasn't headed for the girl. It was aimed specifically at him.

"Naruto!" Shoumei yelled when a sudden shadow appeared behind the blond and knocked him from the back, sending him to the grassy ground beneath them.

The dominating presence approached and bent down next to the young Hokage. He smeared a bit of blood onto Naruto's jacket before retreating fifteen feet and forming some ninja signals. The perpetrator bit his thumb and pressed it down on a scroll. The now apparent sly smirk on his face suggested that the seal was complete, much to Shoumei's horror.

The man closed the distance between him and Naruto one more and stabbed a kunai right through the blond's right shoulder. A yelp came from Shoumei who attempted to shove the stranger but instead was grabbed by the hair and kicked in the stomach. Naruto gritted his teeth as he watched the man pick the girl up once more only to throw her down again.

"You bitch caused quite the trouble," the man said as he hovered over her and slapped her right across the face.

Naruto watched irritatedly as he struggled through his anger and perplexity. He didn't understand why his body felt lifeless. The feeling of his body felt the same except all the chakra energy felt depleted from him. The only activity he was able to accomplish was throw a kunai in the direction of the man.

Amused by the energy coming from the should-be paralyzed ninja, the masked man left Shoumei on the floor and ambled towards Naruto who was slowly standing up again.

"Run Naruto!" Shoumei shouted as she threw herself at the man and locked onto his torso, preventing him from inching towards her friend. The man tried kicking her off but she didn't budge. "Run! He won't kill me! Go without me!" she pleaded with tears in her eyes, watching Naruto struggle with activating his chakra.

Naruto bit down harshly on his lip, angry at his helplessness and inability to summon anything, not even his perfected Rasengan. What he did muster up was a big vomit of blood.

Shoumei looked away as the masked man laughed at the pathetic sight in front of him. "If you left this bitch, then you wouldn't have to die." The man pretended to stifle his laugh before letting it go.

Naruto looked at Shoumei who certainly must have known something he didn't. He then recalled that she wanted to say something before his clone cut her off and carried her away.

"Naruto! Get as far away from him as you can!" Shoumei yelled before receiving a strike on the side of the head.

Naruto clenched his hands into a fist, fighting the anger bubbling inside of him. But alas, the only thing amounted was him coughing up more blood.

"Too late for that. At this rate, he's as good as dead." The man knelt down beside the limp girl and whispered, "But if you want to save him, you know what to do."

Shoumei looked apologetically at Naruto who heard the whisper. She had no plans on revealing her secret, even if it meant dying. She only felt bad that Naruto had to suffer as well. The girl revealed a kunai and without a second thought, aimed for her own heart. But before the sharp edge pierced through her jacket, the trained ninja knocked it out of her hand.

A sudden loud crash followed as Shoumei saw the assassin's body slam against a tree before dropping down. And the tree in which he was thrown upon, held the evidence of a gigantic hole that was most likely the result from the ball of chakra that Naruto threw at the masked man. Shoumei scurried to Naruto who still managed to stand. The Hokage pushed Shoumei aside as he cautiously walked towards the attacker who was slowly gathering himself once more.

"How?!" the man wondered aloud in disbelief before spewing his own pool of fresh blood. "How can you still use your chakra?" His eyes dilated as he witnessed Naruto walking unstably towards him. No doubt the blond intended to capture the intruder alive and keep him for interrogation. If that was the case, it would jeopardize his plans and reveal the locations of his two teammates. The plan mustn't be ruined.

Before Naruto could seal him, the ninja formed a hand signal. Naruto hopped back a few yards and shielded Shoumei. When the explosion was over, the mutilated body parts of the assassin was landed back on the green grass surrounding them. Now no evidence could be extracted from the body. Shoumei and Naruto stared in disbelief at the sudden suicide. Naruto didn't imagine that there were still such shinobi who would choose suicide over capture in this peaceful era. Shoumei on the other hand, never once witnessed such a brutal death, but she refused to let the overwhelming shock sink in. Naruto was more important at the moment.

The Iyasu girl turned toward the blond who suddenly fell on his knees. She laid him down gently onto the grassy floor and unzipped his jacket. As expected, a curse seal sat in the center of his chest. She almost cried, thinking about how much pain Naruto was going through. How in the world was he able to even summon any chakra? Such a seal was meant to jam the chakra flow in any ninja, no matter how strong. Its purpose was to cause the victim to lose control of chakra and damage all organs internally at the slight summoning of chakra. To be able to even use any chakra after falling under the seal was impossible much less summoning a whole Rasengan.

Hot tears trickled down Shoumei's face as she placed her head onto Naruto's chest.

"We're safe now…" Naruto uttered, a little quiet for his usual self, but his voice nonetheless. Shoumei gasped in relief and quickly placed her hand on top of the seal.

* * *

 **I seriously need for Shoumei to meet her fiancé already. Bear with me, we're almost there.**


	6. Chapter 6

**for giving this a chance (lol to ch 6.) arigatou mina-san!**

* * *

Chapter 6

Kiba stole a glimpse at the girl sitting on Akamaru. It was a strange sight—a girl wearing Hinata's outfit when it wasn't Hinata herself— but somehow he couldn't refrain from taking a few more glances. Something about her was bewitching be it her dark longhair or piercing golden gaze. Nonetheless, it was a breathtaking sight. He even got slightly jealous of Akamaru for being the one to carry her.

So upon reaching near the gates of Sunagakure, the Inuzuka heir felt a bit disappointed about their short travel together. It was also around the time when Kiba noticed the downhearted look on his escortee's face. How could he have been so ignorant about the girl's feelings? While he was secretly enjoying their silent time together, she was probably…

Kiba looked once again upon the girl's face and confirmed the lack of spirit in her eyes…the pair of golden orbs that he unconsciously grew very fond of. Sensing the unspoken sorrow, he beckoned Akamaru to stop a little just beyond the line of vision of the shinobi guarding the Sand Village.

Shoumei looked up in surprise at the sudden halt. The way her round eyes widened and looked around and then focused on Kiba rendered him speechless for a few seconds before gaining the composure to explain.

"Um…Shoumei-chan…" Kiba began before looking to Akamaru for support. His furry friend only wrapped his tail around the girl.

"Kiba-kun." Shoumei kept her head low and walked towards the ninja. "I caused much trouble haven't I?"

Kiba took a breath before displaying his silly grin. "Was that all you were sad about?" Shoumei continued her look of worry, prompting Kiba to scold or vent out something at her. "It's impossible to kill Naruto. That guy has the most determination to live compared to anyone else. He'll get better in no time."

"If it wasn't for me, Naruto…he wouldn't…"

Kiba instinctually placed two hands on Shoumei's thin shoulders and craned his neck slightly to see her face. She stared at him in bewilderment, she never got so close to a guy before.

"Shoumei-chan. If Naruto protected you with his life, then he trusts you. If he trusts you, Akamaru and I too will."

Shoumei stared into Kiba's soft gaze before managing a tiny smile. "If you don't mind, I would like to walk the rest of the way."

"But that's quite a long walk for a non-ninja. Don't worry, Akamaru doesn't tire out that…" Kiba couldn't finish before Akamaru gave the dense boy a teasing shove.

It finally hit him. He mentally smacked himself for not understanding what Akamaru understood in an instant. To this, he let out a laugh of defeat and was rewarded by the sweet laughter of the girl next to him.

As they talked the rest of their journey to Sand, Kiba couldn't help but learn to like everything about the girl. She had secrets, that much he could tell, but she was definitely as beautiful inside as out. His intuition was never wrong.

…

After parting ways with Kiba, Shoumei was once again received by the Sand anbu who took her back to the all too familiar Kazekage Tower. This time was for real. She was going to get to meet the Kazekage, her future husband. Taking a deep breath, Shoumei walked in through the door separating him and her.

Her eyes wandered into the office, but this time a humble figure was lying by the window. His calm eyes looked out at the sun-lit village. His spiky hair was hidden by a black hood. He turned slightly, allowing for the asymmetrical purple markings on his face to be seen. Handsome and young, that much she could tell.

"Kazekage-sama…" Shoumei greeted as she bowed courteously. Lifting her head up a little, she saw the young man get up from his relaxed position on the window sill. He offered a tender smile before brushing past her.

"Gaara!" Kankuro greeted with a casual raising of the hand.

Shoumei immediately whipped her head around to see a stoic redhead standing in the doorway. He wasn't as tall as the first man she saw, but his presence was much more domineering. Dark circles outlined his emotionless teal eyes that rested indifferently on her. He had his arms crossed, his stance protected. She could tell he wasn't too friendly with strangers, but from the bottom of her heart, she sensed something about him. If it was nervousness, she could certainly relate. Shoumei realized that her heart was drumming harder the longer she exchanged eye contact with the ninja carrying the gourd. To lessen the tension, she shifted her attention to focus on the red character engraved on his forehead. It was carved in a deep red. A beautiful red.

 _Love_ , it read. She caught herself before unconsciously reading it aloud. Realizing that it was rude to stare, Shoumei once again ducked and proffered a tiny bow followed by a shy smile.

Gaara, on the other hand, wasn't as pleased to see the two ninjas in his office. He wasn't too keen on receiving the girl, but after catching wind of the subtle scent of flowers, arrived earlier than he intended. The sudden thought of Hinata visiting was far-fetched, he knew, but on the small chance that was the case, he found himself rushing to the office. He should've known better than to have any expectations but when disappointment trickled in, it was yet another wound on his hidden heart.

"Gaara. This is your fiancé. I'm quite surprised myself. Isn't she cute?" Kankuro informally grabbed Shoumei and spun her around for his brother to take a better look.

Shoumei's eyes widened. He was the Kazekage! What a fool she had been to face and call to the wrong person. But a bit of her got excited. The older more laid-back ninja was calm and approachable, but the other one, his silence spoke for itself. Something about it captivated her.

"What's your name?" the Kazekage asked in a low voice that suited him.

"Iyasu Shoumei. It's a pleasu-

"Iyasu. You have caused much trouble in the Sand," Gaara spat out a bit too curtly that even Kankuro flinched at his brother's lackluster efforts to make peace.

"I apologize for …"

Gaara wasn't listening to a word the foreigner was saying. To him, it all meant nothing. It was all formalities after all. He couldn't refrain from mentally criticizing her, though he tried convincing himself to be at the very least agreeable when he met with his fiancé just earlier in the day. The fact that the Iyasu girl was wearing Hinata's outfit was probably the biggest contributor to his discomfort with having her in his presence. Perhaps earlier, she fled to the Leaf and hindered his allied village and brought trouble among his close friend and Hinata. At the thought, Gaara glared at the stranger.

Shoumei flinched back and blinked a few times to evade from the pressuring gaze. Somehow she got the feeling that he didn't like her. And she wasn't completely wrong on that.

Kankuro caught onto Gaara's gaze and realized the unrequited source of disagreement among the two would-be couple. He shook his head and darted a disapproving glance at his younger brother. How could he be thinking of Hinata when meeting with his future wife?

Gaara seemed to understand for he turned away from the girl, shielding his eyes from any more evidence leading back to his first love. He cleared his throat before letting out an inaudible breath.

"Iyasu-san. You are now in the Sand. Mind your clothing."

Kankuro's face scrunched up at his brother's fail attempt to make amends. It was simply too hard to bear watching that he had to ease the abuse Gaara inflicted on his first conversational exchange with future sister-in-law.

"Shoumei-chan. What Gaara meant is that he would like to take you on a tour of the Sand Village and would much prefer if you'd change out of the outfit you got from Hina- I mean the Leaf people," Kankuro corrected sarcastically.

"Hinata-sama generously gave this to me when my clothes got dirty. I didn't intend to show up like this. I'm really sorry."

Shoumei stole a quick glance at Gaara before his expression regained indifference. Her astute gaze caught the hint of hurt sealed inside the redhead. She wasn't oblivious to such an expression. As she feared, he was lovesick.

And on her best guess, it was because of the lovely Hyuuga back in Konoha.

Shoumei didn't know what else to do, but did what she was capable of. She skipped forward to take the Kazekage's hand, but naturally, the trained shinobi evaded her touch. Seeing her pained expression, he looked away in guilt. Nevertheless, the Iyasu girl tried again. This time, she kept her eyes on Gaara as she approached him once more. As she expected, he didn't flinch this time around and silently rejoiced that he didn't avoid her on purpose.

Shoumei placed her hand on top of his lightly, just as she did with Ino.

Upon their contact, Gaara looked with bewilderment at the enchantress standing before him. Taking a closer look, she didn't score too low on visuals. Her hair was long and dark like Hinata's. No, darker than Hinata's. Her eyes had a golden gleam like the sun he observed every morning rising from his tower. She was wearing Hinata's outfit, but probably because she had no choice. It would be rude to present herself in torn clothes when she presented herself in front of him. This much he was willing to forgive.

Gaara suddenly dropped a softer gaze on the girl who finally released his hand. Kankuro smirked in amusement at his brother's quick change of mood. Whatever the girl did, it worked.

"I'm sorry I showed up like this," the girl said once again. "After I go to change, I would very much like a tour if Kazekage-sama has the time to escort me."

"So what about it Gaara?" Kankuro elbowed his younger sibling.

Gaara gave a shy affirmative. "I'll meet you in the front."

Shoumei nodded happily, glad that the rigidity of the situation didn't linger. She looked appreciatively at Kankuro who flashed a subtle wink.

…

The Kazekage stared out the window and saw Kankuro with the Iyasu girl waiting in the front. Not a foot after stepping out the door, when Matsuri came panting and handing him a scroll marked with the Leaf emblem. Gaara immediately tore it open to examine the content.

Matsuri stood worriedly as she was ordered to summon Baki and the Kazekage retreated back into office, slamming the door behind him.

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 **seriously...i finally introduced their first meeting. it seems im making gaara super tsundere.**


	7. Chapter 7

**we made it. yeah. i wrote another chapter :P and you guys are going to get to read it now. i'm so happy. hope you guys can rejoice as much as i did when i wrote this. bromance and then fluff (or my version of it)**

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Chapter 7

Kankuro watched the girl intently as she swayed from side to side, unable to stand still as they waited.

"Nervous?" the puppeteer engaged.

"A little." The Iyasu fiddled with her fingers. "But more excited."

Kankuro smiled. He was relieved that she wasn't afraid of his brother despite the cold shoulder treatment. He looked around, but still didn't sense Gaara.

"Welcome to Sunagakure by the way." He extended his hand to emphasize what his village had to offer. "I'm Kankuro, Master of Puppets." The talented ninjutsu user pulled a few strings and manifested a palm-sized puppet.

It skidded across the floor and began dancing. The entertaining sight drew in a few bystanders, mostly kids. The lone puppet was then joint by a few others, until it looked like an entire show. Shoumei clapped along with the audience when it was over and complimented Kankuro over and over again.

When the crowd disbanded, Shoumei walked back next to Kankuro.

"He's not coming is he?" she asked knowingly.

"How'd you know?" Kankuro asked, feeling a bit guilty and responsible for his brother's lack of following through.

"When you threw in the extra puppets, you kept glancing in my direction," she paused, "I'm not upset. Thank you for spending your time waiting with me."

Kankuro's heartstrings wrenched at her words. As he had expected, she was really down-to-earth. He knew she wasn't lying when she did not bring up the anbu signing (sign language) a message to him after he pulled up his third puppet. He also knew that she sincerely wanted to take the opportunity to get to know Gaara better.

Pitying her, he did what a good person would do.

"Shoumei-chan. Whatever happened these few days, there has been a lot of misunderstandings. And there will be more until we start clearing them up," Kankuro stared into Shoumei's unexpectedly vulnerable eyes. "Right now, you're still under slight suspicion from the previous incident, but know that the Sand are still seeking to go through with the marriage arrangement. And I ask you bear with us until we can finally end the confusion." Shoumei nodded. "So until then, there's not much I can do. But I admit that it might be our fault that we didn't show at the predetermined time. We were attending a wedding in Konoha. I hope you can forgive Gaara for that. He's a good guy deep inside."

"I know, and so are you." Shoumei extended her hand to Kankuro, palm faced up. "I think you've been curious about me?" She encouraged him to place his hand atop hers, which he did.

The puppeteer's eyes lit up, with a sudden calm and reassured feeling.

"The main branch of the Iyasu clan are gifted with certain abilities. Mine is to influence others to feel a certain way or to help them focus on a particular feeling that they might be confused about."

"That explains it!" Kankuro laughed aloud. "Tell me more about your people," he prompted with overflowing interest.

"I've never talked much about them…" the girl answered timidly. "What do you want to know?"

"Since you're going to marry into the family anyways, I don't mind hearing everything. Gotta start knowing my sister-in-law sooner or later."

Shoumei beamed with joy that at least one person in the foreign village accepted her. And so she began filling Kankuro in on all the disclosable details ranging from her family history to the skills the healer clan possessed.

…

"I've never talked so long to anyone in my life…and enjoyed it completely," Kankuro casually said as he propped himself on the couch of his brother's living room. "Shoumei is totally my type. Totally wasted on a no-show."

Gaara sat on the window porch as he stared into the darkened sky, ignoring Kankuro's words.

"What are you angry at now, brother? She didn't know that wearing Hinata's clothes would offend you." Kankuro analyzed his brother's face. "She also didn't run away on purpose."

"She caused Naruto to get hospitalized," Gaara said furiously. The fuming redhead watched as his brother nodded with not the slightest worry. "Sakura and Ino both attested that the Iyasu girl possessed a certain mysterious power that even they couldn't identify." Kankuro nodded and informally gestured his hand for his brother to continue. "Shikamaru went to visit the site where Naruto was attacked and found the entire field destroyed. The surrounding grass all withered into a burnt yellow."

Kankuro smirked for he knew something that the Leaf didn't (well, in exception of Shikamaru who might figure it out with a little more thinking). He waited for his brother to break the silence and offer up the chance to share his recently acquired information.

"Brother. Naruto got hurt defending against a trained professional whose purpose was to hunt Shoumei, a main branch descendent of the Iyasu. Those people tracking her were the same who nearly killed our sand ninja, who by great fortune, are still alive." Seeing an unfazed Gaara, Kankuro continued. "The reason Sakura and them probably found her suspicious was because of her power. The Iyasu clan can transfer energy from one object to another and have no limit to the capacity for transfer. That might explain why all the grass died for she used that energy to preserve Naruto's life."

"Still suspicious. She has too many secrets and her power is unordinary. What she did to me earlier was-"

"And let me guess, it was Hinata who wrote that letter to you warning you to be careful." Gaara shot a deathly glare at his brother who grinned smugly knowing that he was correct once again. "Only Hinata can get you to disregard reason."

"Whose side are you taking?" Gaara asked nonchalantly.

"I'm on yours!" Kankuro smacked the redhead on the back, only to be returned with a scowl. "Plus, she has her reasons for hiding things."

"You would know?" Gaara said in a half snort.

"Because I cared enough to." Kankuro wrapped his arm around his brother. "Believe me. My intuition isn't wrong on this one."

"The Iyasu girl has her guard up. We must keep ours as well." Gaara shrugged out of his brother's half hug, only to be pulled back once more.

"Shoumei. Call her by her name. She's going to be your wife very soon."

"I do not know her well."

"Then get to know her." Kankuro tapped his finger on the Kazekage's chest. "Every relation starts from somewhere. You can't expect to get far if this little thing in here refuses to make room for new people."

Gaara decided not to comeback that one. Kankuro if not completely correct, was for the most part, reasonable. Perhaps he had been too skeptical since the beginning. Upon reflection, it was undeniably uncivil to cancel on their meeting without a word. But he did send an anbu to notify Kankuro to keep an eye on the girl.

"Kankuro, did you inform the girl?"

"Inform her that you told me to keep her under surveillance? No, I didn't." Kankuro picked up on the faint indication of guilt in Gaara's expression.

"Was she disappointed I didn't show?" the redhead asked a little less boldly.

"She said the Kazekage must have had his reasons." Kankuro childishly snickered as his brother took on more guilt. "I took her out to eat since she didn't get any food since taken into custody in Konoha. She almost cried at how delicious the food was. Even I commend myself for how hospitable I was."

Gaara looked hesitantly at his brother, waiting for more arrows of guilt to be fired. He waited, but Kankuro didn't apply any more pressure. He only reclined back in his seat, assuming a napping position.

"Kankuro, does she have a place to stay?" Gaara asked as casually as he could manage.

"Yeah, my house."

Gaara pivoted his entire body to face his brother, uncertain if he heard correctly. Kankuro sat up in bemusement. Confirming that his brother really didn't know, Kankuro explained.

"The elders told Shoumei that you would be showing her around Sunagakure. She would also be staying with you in the meantime to get accustomed to life here and for you two to get better acquainted. Since you were ignoring her, she asked me if there was a place she could stay. And who knows if those rogue-nin would be back to capture her, I couldn't just leave her anywhere, so I invited her to my house. I had Temari come over specially for this. That's why I'm here in your house. You're welcome."

Before Gaara could protest or question further, Kankuro fell into a deep sleep. Was he perhaps wrong to make judgments that quickly?

….

"Temari-neesan. Can you take me to the hospital tomorrow?"

Before Shoumei had time to explain, Temari dashed towards the girl. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"No no. I couldn't possibly be with you here protecting me," Shoumei assured the sisterly figure she always wanted. "I wanted to thank the ninja who helped me. I was hoping that the Kazekage would take me, but he was busy with something else and I didn't want to bother Kankuro anymore than I already did."

Temari patted Shoumei on the head. "What did Gaara do to deserve such a sweet thing like you? If anyone ever makes you sad, just tell nee-san. I'll make sure they regret it three times over."

Shoumei let her eyes get watery. Temari couldn't withhold from pulling the fragile girl into her arms. "Though I'm not sure what it's like to be in a foreign land to marry a stranger, I know you've had your share of obstacles. Thank you for coming all the way here. Although this is a political marriage, I'm glad you're here and with time, Gaara would appreciate you too."

"I hope so." Shoumei sighed. "He doesn't seem to like me very much."

Temari grinned. "I heard from Kankuro that much. But our little brother, he takes awhile to warm up to. He's always guarded but once you bypass that, he pretty much would love you so much that you'd be stupid to even ever doubt his love."

With that, Temari left Shoumei to rest from her long journey. Shoumei fell asleep wondering more about Gaara than she would ever imagine herself wondering about a boy.

….

Standing afar, Gaara peered silently into the white walled hospital room housing the recently injured ninja squad. Sitting by the bedside of the only patient awake, Shoumei was holding the man's hand dearly.

"Oji-San. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to make it alive. Shoumei has come to pay her sincerest gratitude."

The man in his mid-30s placed a hand on top of the girl's lowered head and gave her a firm pat. They chatted a little more, discussing about her mission and adventure in Konoha.

All this was a new side of the story to Gaara. What he heard did match what everyone else was saying. The Kazekage was also able to learn a few other things that he didn't know like how the Iyasu could send energy signals to make people feel calm or energetic. He witnessed it firsthand just by a single touch with the Iyasu descendant.

The curious redhead continued to watch Shoumei as she demonstrated an extraction of energy from a leaf and transferred it into a bottle which she gifted the recovering shinobi. According to her, it was some sort of healing juice that could be preserved.

Gaara carelessly allowed his lips to curl up when he saw her demonstrating that trick a few more times to the other patients who requested for some of that elixir. He could tell everyone was comfortable with her. He watched her in awe, openly friendly with everyone—something he didn't know how to do until the later part in his life.

"If the Kazekage were to marry someone like you, our village would be most overjoyed," one of the older patients stated.

Shoumei's face turned a reddish hue, unsuccessfully hiding the embarrassment.

"We would have a festive wedding, one as grand or grander than the Hokage's ceremony," another exclaimed.

"I wouldn't dream of that much," Shoumei responded in low spirits.

 _Does she want a grand wedding?_

Gaara leaned closer for it was a bit difficult to hear from his position and the ongoing background noises his sharp ears could easily detect but not omit.

The topic then moved on to talk about the Kazekage himself, much to his dismay. But the said person of interest took this chance to observe the girl keenly as she was told the tales of his legendary encounters and expeditions.

The Kazekage watched her intently, noticing and unintentionally memorizing her routine motions. She tilted her head to the right when she was interested and to the left when she was confused. Her eyes flickered when she got excited and it was instinctual that she grab onto the closest object when she got nervous. This he knew, for the ninja patient would remind her every few minutes to loosen the grip around his already injured arm.

Then came the part when someone just had to bring up the past—the less glorious days, the ones better forgotten than stored. Gaara knew, no matter how long time has passed or how many accomplishments he achieve, the villagers would never forget the days of his youth. The days when he was the monster and they the victims. When he was the source of distress and the living representation of unwanted existence. These tales he heard plenty, hearing them again wouldn't do him much harm, but a strange feeling swirled inside him. He thought to himself perhaps this was what people called butterflies.

Somehow he was anxiously curious about how the strange girl would react to stories of his abhorrent childhood. He wagered that she would form bad thoughts, but a small part in him bet on otherwise.

So he watched her, quietly in the corner, absorbing the stories, some true some much too exaggerated. He watched her display the similar body language as she did earlier, only this time, displaying a subtle crestfallen attitude.

 _She's afraid._

Gaara clenched his fist when more of those exaggerated stories were told. It appeared to frighten Shoumei for she seemed to look downcast. Half of him wanted to leave, but the other half induced him to stay.

The conversation took a positive turn after the good man (whose bed everyone was surrounding) threw in the greatness of their leader once more. He bragged about his fortune to serve him in this life, and how proud he was of the young hero who began ruling with the title as the youngest Kage. At this, Shoumei became more spirited and put forth a renewed enthusiasm. She listened eagerly and asked questions frequently like: how everyone came to love him, what he liked, what he did, did everyone get to see him in the village, what restaurants did he frequent, did anyone ever see him smile or mess up.

The present nurses and villagers would then join in and voluntarily submit answers, much too fervently to Gaara's dismay. It took some time, but Shoumei finally reached the comfort zone to ask more personal questions like: what were his hobbies, what's his favorite food, and such. To this, the patients blurted out whatever came to mind, the answers, let's say, were creative, but more often wrong that right.

Under any other circumstances, Gaara would've been furious, but seeing how he was eavesdropping in the corner, deemed it best to drop charges on the girl who simply tried to get to know him a little better (by means he wouldn't approve of but wouldn't argue against for he himself for never simply just tell her).

And his actions did amount to some progress for half way during the questions, he began to wonder himself.

 _What about you?_ _What do you like? How is it where you come from? What do you mean you don't know what ramen is? Did you grow up in the mountains?_

Then it began to irritate our Kazekage that when the girl was collecting the wrong information about him, he knew nothing of her. Was Kankuro right? If he had put in some effort to know her, maybe things would be different?

Gaara allowed this to bother him until his trail of thoughts were disconnected by an almost inaudible statement.

"I'd be content if the Kazekage even considered me unhateable," Shoumei joked, halfheartedly.

From his hidden corner, Gaara felt a heavy feeling weigh down his heart. ' _Don't think that_ ' he wanted to tell her. ' _Why would you think that_ ' he wanted to ask. Sure, his attitude wasn't the best, but certainly it wasn't the worse he could've been.

Before regret could truly sink in, an Anbu teleported next to the Kazekage. After receiving the brief message, Gaara dismissed his subordinate and was about to head out himself, when he met the eyes of a very bewildered girl staring straight in his direction.

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 **by now, you should know that i major in slow romance. so congrats on making it this far to finally experience a little progress in their relationship. gaara! hope more "fluff" follows :P**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey everyone! Just wanted to thank all of you for writing such motivating words-you are the sweetest! This chapter came a bit slower to me, but I hope that it doesn't disappoint.**

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 **Chapter 8**

Gaara paced around from one side to another, unable to settle down in his chair. Matsuri came in, called his name a few times, but gave up when he didn't even notice her. Same thing happened with Baki who thought best to leave the Kazekage be.

 _Did she notice me?_

The Kazekage shook his head. It was impossible for that girl to see him when he was dressed in a Sand Anbu uniform. Occasionally he would disguise himself as an Anbu and travel around the village as for the villagers to not fear his presence. It was an old habit, there was probably no more use of doing that now, but he continued to do so for it offered an odd comfort. But more importantly, she couldn't possibly recognize him without his gourd (which he set aside when he went about the village as Anbu).

Gaara convinced himself that there was truly no way the Iyasu girl could've discerned it was him. But the red hair. That was a different story. How many people in the Sand had the deep red hair he possessed? He could probably count them with the fingers on his hand, but she didn't know that. He should be safe.

But the fact that her golden eyes looked straight into his threw him back into another mental struggle. He recalled it vividly, the look of shock written on her face when she realized someone (him) was watching/spying/eavesdropping/stalking whatever you would call it, on her.

 _Would she hate me if she knew?_

Gaara wouldn't want that. Sure, he was not completely fond of her, but he really didn't want her to hate him. Because for some reason, it hurt when she thought he hated her. He really didn't want her to judge him that quickly, because honestly, neither of them really had the chance to know each other yet.

It also wouldn't please the elders to know that he cancelled again. That would be a problem, Gaara justified before finally mustering the courage to send for the Iyasu girl.

… _._

Shoumei brushed her hair one side and then to the other. When neither way pleased her, she scooped it all up and put it in a high ponytail. That was better.

The foreigner scanned the area, taking in the shops and stores, parents and children, and the bustling of the village. Her eyes were careful to absorb every detail. She wasn't planning on being spied on again. Shoumei had come to the conclusion that the Kazekage didn't trust her and had sent Anbu to tail her. This was upsetting, but she hoped to prove his assumptions wrong, and thus, calculating her every step was her intention. Who knew it'd be this hard.

Before she could look any further, a quiet Kazekage manifested from the surrounding sand and stood before her. She looked wide-eyed at the sand human.

"Kazekage-sama," she greeted with a modest bow.

She looked different today. Much better. Without Hinata's clothes, he could finally try to focus. So much better today.

Gaara acknowledged her with a nod. "As promised."

Shoumei's face lit up, but knowing that she was under some degree of scrutiny, quickly suppressed the tingling feeling of excitement. She definitely couldn't screw up when he finally was giving her a chance, but allowed herself one more look at the young lord who had his gaze steadily fixed on her.

When their eyes met, Gaara immediately walked ahead, afraid she might recognize the pair of emerald eyes that watched her so thoroughly just yesterday.

Each time Gaara spoke, no matter the subject, Shoumei acted interested. Whether it was about the history of the village or the precautions to take during sandstorms, she smiled and urged him to share more. It was the usual pattern— a nod followed by a tiny smile.

Every time Gaara thought he found an opportunity to connect with Shoumei a little more, she would run through the same puppet-like actions.

' _Why can't you act more naturally around me like you did the others_?' Gaara wanted to ask, but didn't dare for fear of offending her.

Things would be difficult if it continued like this, he thought. They were already sitting at a tea shop after three hours of walking and nothing. They had absolutely nothing to talk about.

The Kazekage crossed his arms and leaned back on the seat and stared off in the distance.

 _He's not interested at all. What should I do_?

Shoumei looked away nervously. She knew that after they ate, the chances of them parting was high. She cursed to herself mentally. She did everything the Iyasu elders commanded and taught her. She didn't slouch, never talked out of turn, smiled and agreed to everything her fiancé said. So why isn't he liking her? Why isn't it working?

The poor confused girl ended up letting out a long sigh. Gaara turned to look at her in candid surprise.

 _Oh no…He heard that, I thought he wasn't listening._

"If you have plans, you may leave," Gaara stated apathetically.

 _He's angry_. Shoumei ducked stupidly.

"Don't feel obliged to please me. You may go if you so wish," Gaara crossed his arms once more. He surmised that perhaps it was time to drop this. It was clear that she wasn't even putting in the effort.

 _Definitely angry._ Shoumei slumped lower in her seat to avoid the heavy stare from the redhead. It wasn't easy being in his presence. Mostly because of him, but everyone watching her and then pretending that they're not was also pretty irritating. And who knows about the eyes that she couldn't see. Notably those anbu who were probably stationed by every street corner to keep her under tabs.

Shoumei took another sip of tea and let out another sigh. Gaara looked up at her once again.

"You heard that one too?" the Iyasu girl asked unintelligently.

"Yes. I have decent hearing," Gaara responded.

 _Oh yes. That was stupid. He probably thinks I'm a dimwit_.

"Shinobi have great hearing, huh?" Shoumei knew there was problem with her people skills, but that didn't stop her from throwing out another super _brilliant_ remark.

" _I think anyone would've heard that sigh, shinobi or not,"_ was whatthe Kazekage wanted to say, but he tried to be polite and instead, stuck with a friendly, "I guess they do."

"I hope your hearing isn't that good as to hear my thoughts," Shoumei said right before she slapped herself in the face with utter embarrassment. She knew it was the end…all her efforts to be perfect the entire day was ruined.

Gaara watched her as she squeezed the cushion next to her. He knew she did that when she was nervous. And for the first time, she was being normal and he recognized it. After judging that the silence tortured her enough, he assured her, "We can't hear those."

"Fortunately…" Shoumei added before taking another awkward sip of tea.

Just then, a masked shinobi appeared to deliver a scroll. Shoumei stared into her teacup, pretending to be admiring the tea leaves, not wanting to disturb.

Gaara swiftly stood up but did not leave immediately. "There is something I must tend to."

Shoumei nodded slightly and kept her head low, avoiding the gaze of the two ninja next to her.

 _Guess this is the end_. Somehow she felt a bit sad, which was understandable considering how much time she spent on planning their day. It was supposed to start with a friendly greeting, a relaxing stroll, all the while engaging in lively conversation discussing their hobbies and such, and then lunch, and maybe a brief ninja overview, topped with a delightful dinner with the soon-to-be-family, then a reluctant good-bye. But the only part that actually followed the agenda was the reluctant farewell.

Gaara, on the other hand, never budged. He remained standing, hovering above the girl who seemed to be completely lost in her own world where she seriously thought no one could see her dynamic facial expressions and hear each and every last one of her long and very audible sighs.

"I'm sorry milady. I did not intend to disturb you. It's just that there is an urgent matter that the Kazekage must quickly attend to. I am in deepest apologies." The anbu lowered his head, much to the girl's surprise.

When she finally processed what the masked shinobi was murmuring about, Shoumei scooted from her chair and waved her two hands in front of her frantically to clarify that her heavy sighs were supposed to come after they left. When that explanation didn't fix anything, she began bowing back to the anbu who in turn bowed lower and the cycle continued.

The Kazekage cleared his throat when the entire shop was watching the farce. Shoumei's face immediately went red and surrendered the bowing.

"Do me a favor and let me borrow your mask?" the Iyasu whispered to the anbu who only chuckled.

"If I let you borrow mine, then what will I use to hide my own embarrassment?" the masked ninja replied.

The two acquaintances both laughed and all distance disappeared. The foreigner was not as dull as the young lord described her to be. The anbu did not seem as strict and cold as she imagined they'd be. Perhaps this would not be that difficult after all.

Gaara cleared his throat once more and the anbu straightened up and announced their dismissal. The young lord took the lead and walked out first, but that did not mean he did not hear the discrete sigh she let out upon his leave.

The anbu matched his Kage's quick strides the second they exited the tiny tea shop. "How rude of her to sigh so casually in your presence, Kazekage-sama."

 _That's what I find quite interesting about her._

Gaara continued to his destination, with his subordinate hot on his tail.

"What would the elders think of that?" the anbu continued to tease.

 _I don't care what they think._

The redhead walked on, unaffected by the casual talk.

"She would make a terrible ninja. Anyone can read her like a book."

The Kazekage shot an unappreciative glare at his old friend, but didn't have the heart to scold him. The anbu simply had this unexplainable tendency to make his life a little less unvaried everyday. So he continued walking.

"But at the same time, you'd definitely have no problem understanding her. There, all potential marriage problems solved."

Noticing the Sand Head halted in his tracks, the anbu took a step back in caution, uncertain if he stepped on something. The marriage discussion was intended for sometime in the close future, but he couldn't resist.

"Are you implying that my future wife is _simple_?" the young lord questioned in his authoritative tone.

"Better than complicated right?" the anbu nudged at Gaara's stiff shoulders. "Besides, I said she'd make a terrible ninja. I didn't say she wouldn't make an extremely good wife."

"And what is this urgent matter?" Kazekage changed the subject.

Straightening up and returning to work mode, the anbu replied, "The Seventh Hokage sent a sealed message."

….

Without a guide, Shoumei wandered aimlessly through the sandy streets, admiring the various shops and attracting curious stares. There was indeed a lot of differences between this place and her homeland. Growing up in the mountainous regions hidden from the world and the sun, the sudden change in environment did not find her well. Not only did the increased intensity of the sun dry up her skin, but also inflicted soon-to-be sunburns on her entirely exposed left shoulder. And apparently, throughout certain times of the day, it isn't unlikely for a gust of wind to randomly strike. At first, the hot sand wind just tickled her face, but then it started getting into her eyes, something which wasn't entirely pleasant.

It was then that she recalled the mild, more adaptable weather in the Leaf village. The Leaf had a good balance of both and carried a more relaxed vibe. Had she married into the Leaf, the transition wouldn't prove as much a task. But Naruto was already married to a beautiful Hyūga. But even if he wasn't, it wouldn't be Shoumei's turn to wed the Hokage, after all, it was decided that they would go in descending order, the closer to the main lineage selecting first.

It was also then that she had a sudden wonder about her cousin. Coming to think of it, it was strange that she hasn't heard anything back about Kumori. Kumori was her younger cousin, but the direct descendant of the main branch of the Iyasu clan. If anything, there should have been some news from her people—coming to think of it, it was strange that she heard nothing.

Just then, a spark of light drew her into a jewelry shop. There were plenty of colorful ornaments decorating the tiny store, but she couldn't help but gape at the bejeweled flower hairpin sitting humbly on the edge of the showcase. Although even the simplest ornament in the store outshone those in her homeland, Shoumei could've easily said that the sparkle was the most beautiful one she had ever laid eyes on.

The hairpin looked even more stunning as it sat comfortably on her palm, but alas, such beauty wasn't meant to be hers. Before even returning the item back to the salesclerk after realizing she had no native currency, a man reached for it and requested to pay.

Shoumei looked up and saw the man smile as if thanking her for choosing the perfect gift for his girlfriend. Thus, the girl simply watched enviously as the boyfriend laid the ornament on his girlfriend's hair and walked out of the shop.

 _It must be nice to be loved by someone_.

Her eyes wandered from the hand-holding couple to the someone they both greeted with respect. Standing outside, was a man with a familiar stance—arms folded across his chest—and the most unreadable gaze.

Shoumei's cheeks suddenly became flushed and unknowingly covered her heartbeat with one hand, obviously in surprise.

 _How long was he there_? _He didn't hear my thoughts right_?

The redhead observed silently, noting the sudden flush with increased interest. He eyed the hairpin in the passerby's hair and understood.

Remembering her manners, Shoumei scurried by the Kazekage's side and offered him a tiny dip of the head.

"You disappeared."

"I thought I was supposed to leave."

"You didn't wait for someone to escort you."

 _And why would I need that when you already have plenty of "escorts" watching over me?_ Shoumei chose to stay silent.

And Gaara noticed. He was not an expert at reading people yet, but even he could tell that she was slightly offended and sought to clarify the suspected misunderstanding.

"I just didn't want you to get lost."

Shoumei looked up at her fiancé and offered a minuscule smile. _That's a nice way to put it._

"I will try not to. If I did, your efforts in showing me around this morning would be wasted," Shoumei bit back a little too sharply. She knew it, for she cringed back slightly at her own tone.

Gaara too was taken aback by the sudden reaction, but found it strangely agreeable rather than rude. He looked her in the eye, surprising Shoumei with his gentle gaze.

"More importantly, this is for you."

Shoumei took the tiny pouch Gaara held out for her and opened it. When she looked up, she realized she wasn't the only one embarrassed by the short exchange, but Gaara beat her in breaking the silence.

"I thought it better if someone were to accompany you, but I was wrong to forget that you would like to explore yourself. Temari forgot to give it to you this morning, and I thought it unnecessary since I would be with you today, but an unforeseen matter came up. I sincerely apologize," Gaara calmly explained, as if reciting it by heart.

Shoumei blushed. Of course she needed Sand currency and he must've known that, and he must've known that it would lead to such a strange interaction, thus didn't give it to her earlier.

"I have matters to attend to. If you need anything, let me know."

 _How would I dare let you know after this?_ Shoumei nodded, but all the while refraining from any eye contact.

"…or you may let Kankuro or Temari know."

Shoumei nodded once more, praying that he would just leave.

"Though I would much prefer if you let me know." Trusting he said enough, the Kazekage scattered into sand and blew conveniently away with the passing wind.

This took Shoumei by shock. Perhaps she was wrong. Maybe he wasn't as unconcerned as he tried to appear to be. He may even like her a little more than she dared to believe. Either way, that was perhaps the first good sign since she arrived and thus explains her surprise during dinner that night when a few more guests showed up than originally planned.

It was a nice soon-to-be family gathering, with future brother-in-law Kankuro sitting in the main seat of the square wooden table, future sister-in-law planted right across and potential brother-in-law number two Shikamaru situated comfortably next to her. And the beloved Kazekage sat appropriately next to his nervous fiancé.

Luckily, the couple was spared from any awkwardness for it turned out that Kankuro was a much better host than anyone ever gave him credit for. It was talks of the Leaf and Sand, politics, and unfamiliar names that filled the conversation. Shoumei, though not comprehending the majority of it, found it pleasing that the family acted so casually even with her around, so tried her best to engage. The redhead next to her would discretely sneak a few glances to make sure she didn't feel left out.

Although discrete, Gaara's interest did not go unnoticed by the trained shinobi surrounding him. His two siblings found it eerily entertaining to watch their little brother displaying new feelings, more so than they imagined. And so when Gaara finally extended his invitation to his fiancé, they couldn't be any prouder.

"So we'll head out tomorrow for Konoha," Gaara repeated once more for Shoumei to grasp—though she heard the first time, her shocked expression said otherwise.

"Did something happen?" Shoumei asked, suddenly conjuring negative thoughts. "Is Naruto in trouble?"

The Kazekage concealed his own alert and shook his head. Somehow her reaction to Konoha was much more dynamic than any of hers to the dealings with the Sand, which didn't quite settle well in his mind. It appears that Naruto had much more of an influence on his future wife than he himself.

"Then we'll all meet in the front gate tomorrow by sunrise," was all the young lord left before bidding farewell to his siblings. Temari scolded her brother for forgetting someone, in which he simply nodded at Shikamaru and consciously ignoring the other one.

Confused at the rushed exit, Shoumei glanced in the shadow user's direction.

"Is Naruto in trouble?"

The relaxed ninja only leaned back and let out a slight chuckle. Temari gave her boyfriend a nudge and let out a small chuckle of her own followed by a hearty laugh from none other than the amused Kankuro. It was a good sign.

But had she known it was a good sign, Shoumei would've had a much calmer sleep that night, spared from the excessive tosses and turns fueled by the idea that the Kazekage was hiding something—some sort of attachment. It was the rushed exit, the sudden change of attitude, that threw her off. She couldn't recall doing anything that would offend him, and therefore, it must be because he was being extremely cautious about something—or someone—in Konoha.

And it wasn't to say that the girl was off on her thoughts, for it would be untrue to say that Gaara wasn't still affected by lingering feelings directed at a certain someone from his neighbor country. But much to his own unexpected realization, it wasn't the thought of Hinata this time that triggered his mixed emotions. It was the thoughts of his future wife's thoughts on Naruto that caused a slight tingly feeling of heat surge up inside him, preventing him from having a much needed night of rest. Thinking back, perhaps he was slightly obvious in his apparent unhappiness with the immediate concern that Shoumei displayed earlier in the evening, but with further consideration, it was a good thing that she had a caring heart to his friends. On the other hand, Gaara just knew that the fellow bystanders, his soon-to-be brother-in-law included, wouldn't have let his slight shift in character go unnoticed. He could just imagine them laughing internally at his subtle slip and the thought of them taking amusement in his love life was just undeniably embarrassing.

But thankfully, one good thing came of his sleepless night—his biggest fear no longer seemed unconquerable.

* * *

 **A/N: (yeah about time we get a move on this)**


	9. Chapter 9

**Updated in the same month :P thanks to all those encouraging comments that buttered me up to write this.**

* * *

Chapter 9

Shoumei blinked and once again stared at the ceiling of her current lodging. The light of dawn shown subtly with the sound of nature chirping its way through the windows. The sleepless girl let out a defeated sigh and sat up. If she slept now, she'd probably get another hour or two, but she'd probably forget to wake up. With the last bit of excitement-fueled adrenaline, she forced herself to get ready.

By the time she was out the house, it was still dim, but bright enough to see the streets. It was extremely quiet, entirely opposite of when the sun was up. In the mornings, Sunagakure had an alluring calmness—there was no wild wind that tossed the sand—complimented with a casual breeze that wasn't too hot nor cold. The usual golden sand looked a dull grey, only adding to the beauty of the sight, but Shoumei sensed a negligible loneliness to the sight. Perhaps because it was so different from the mornings she awoke to back in her home. There would've been life surrounding her, be it the swaying trees or tiny critters coming out to fetch breakfast. There was definitely a slight emptiness, but nonetheless, she knew she would've regretted it had she not forced herself out of bed. The Sand Village wasn't exactly breathtaking, but it was going to be her new home, and she couldn't not love it.

It was still very early, all the shops and villagers were still out of sight, adding to the serenity Shoumei was met with on every corner she turned. With no other sounds beside the sound of her own footsteps, the land truly gave off the feeling of a desert. At this, the girl giggled to herself. Never had she dreamed of living in some place so different, so new, so special. It was so quiet, that she'd never expect another being to be following close behind her.

So when a black silhouette flashed before her eyes, Shoumei halted in her tracks and opened her mouth to scream, but the ninja quickly cast a jutsu to silence her. When she realized that no sound was going to come out no matter how much she wanted to scream, she ran with all her might to the Wind Tower.

As she ran, she searched desperately, for something—anything—to throw or make some noise. But alas, the Sand people were much too organized, clearing the streets completely. Left with no other alternative, Shoumei raced to her lighthouse, but before she even passed another corner, an unexpected pain shot up from her right leg and caused her to fall forward onto the sand beneath her.

Not a split second wasted, her hand swiftly reached for the four-point shuriken and yanked it out. Forcing herself back up, she ran, not once looking back. If she did, she already knew who she'd see and if she stopped, she'd be taken. Hot tears welled up her eyes, but she didn't let them trickle down. There was no time for that.

 _Please be there…_

Not too far from the area, a red-haired masked Anbu made his morning rounds. He loved the mornings—the grayish lighting that turned the village into something distant—even as a child. No matter how late he would work or how little sleep he got, he wouldn't compromise this particular pastime—to wake every morning and admire the beauty of his land. Every single detail, from the color to the structure and particular location of each store, house, and building, he memorized by heart. The Sand was his life, so he willingly knew every aspect of it. So when an unusual metallic tang disturbed the normally crisp air, the trained shinobi was off in a heartbeat to locate the source of it.

Shoumei limped up the stairs, all the long patting the outside of the round structure, hoping to draw some sort of attention. She was confused. On her frantic sprint up the tower, even her naked eye was able to spot a few ninja, but they all seemed to ignore her. Had she not been so distracted by the blood loss, she would've realized that her pursuer didn't look like a pursuer to anyone else. In fact, he was as calm as ever, jogging a few steps, and then walking a few others.

"Don't be rebellious. Let's get you back home," his surprisingly young sounding voice called from behind. "You're drunk."

His prey whipped her head back, immediate hatred surging from her golden cat-like eyes. Shoumei opened her mouth to yell for help, to clear up the situation, but her voice still hadn't returned. When she could go no further up the tower stairs, she banged both hands on the rail, hoping to draw some attention, but it was too late. The perpetrator was but a few feet away and simply reached to get ahold of her shoulders.

If it was going to be like this, at least it doesn't have to end the way he planned it to be. With one strong push, she hoisted her entire body up the rail, and leapt off without another thought. A ghastly look overcame the pursuer's face as he sprinted to the rail to reach for her hand, but failed to even make contact.

It was a certain death from the height that she jumped, but it was the best option. Maybe if she jumped, one of the ninja she tried alerting may finally suspect something was wrong. It was a gamble, and the moment she jumped, even she didn't have much faith. All she could do was pray that she fall on a tree or something that would break the fall—just anything would be nice.

She didn't dare ask for more than a tree because it would already have been a miracle if something did somehow catch her in the village made of Sand. But something more—something a lot more—was exactly what she got. She had forced her eyes shut after confirming that she escaped her perpetrator and was indeed plunging to the sandy floor. So when a strong impact met her on her back and behind the knees well before the time she calculated she would die, she knew her prayers were answered.

Ignoring the knotted feeling in her stomach from the drop, Shoumei forced her eyes open to see what answered her prayers. Her face lit up when she recognized the Anbu mask.

"Hands around my neck, quick."

The bewildered girl didn't process the order brisk enough and nearly fell backwards when the shinobi released his hold on her shoulders to perform a one-hand jutsu. Thankfully, he was swift in his movements and ran through the signs just in time to support her once more. Frantically climbing back up, Shoumei didn't hesitate to throw her hands around his neck, accidentally knocking his mask off in the process.

The panting girl looked up, intending to apologize, and warn of the imminent danger they were both in at the moment, but all resolve diminished as she took in exactly whose arms she was in. Her heart melted at the realization.

 _Gaara_.

It wasn't the time to grin, nor was it the time to feel happy about something like this, but Shoumei couldn't help it. She ducked a little to hide the tiny smile that she couldn't suppress. But couldn't resist the urge to look up once more at her savior, only to catch him doing the same.

The shared eye contact lasted for only a split second when a cloud of sand hovered above them and shielded them from a loud explosion. And following that, the sand beneath them rose up to welcome their landing.

"Release."

The irritating sting centered around her throat finally lightened up, allowing Shoumei to swallow without the stinging pain she tried to avoid. Her voice, though a little weaker, was back. There was no time to rejoice as another sand cloud shielded a new explosion that sounded closer this time.

The shinobi intended to form a sand barrier around his fiancé, but his plan was substituted by her stubbornness to drag him in the direction of the main gate. He didn't question the choice, he deemed it best to lead the threat away too.

They were about a good distance outside the main gate to the Sand before they stopped and turned to face the hunter. As expected, he followed. On the Kazekage's orders, no shinobi guarding the gate moved from their spot and allowed the invader to exit as he pleased.

He grinned as he closed the distance between himself and his red-haired opponent who was shielding the smaller prize behind him.

"I come in peace. Give me the girl and I'll leave."

He took a step forward and Shoumei instinctively took one back. Sensing her obvious discomfort, Gaara summoned a circle of whirling sand separating them and the enemy.

"You say that, but you hurt my men," the Kazekage asserted hostilely.

"Your men interfered."

"You are in my land." Two giant hands made entirely of sand manifested itself behind the young Kage.

The hunter drew out a blade and unbuckled two scrolls from his waist belt. He launched a few explosives, some infused with a gaseous content, at the two targets, before fully charging himself. He was a lot nimbler than the Wind Kage accredited him for, but that didn't matter. It was much too late to realize now that the sand hands were only for distraction. Its real purpose was to simply scatter and cover him in sand. The weight of the trillion specks of dust and sand first suffocated its victim before rendering him immobile. That was followed by a wave of sand that layered on top of the first and wrapped around him like a cocoon.

The prisoner struggled, perplexed at the whole situation. It wasn't supposed to be like this. The gas bombs he threw earlier, once inhaled should weaken the enemy and eat away at their chakra. How was it possible that he continued to manipulate the sand at such drastic amounts? Of his entire team, he had the most meticulous and accurate calculations. He knew he wasn't wrong, and the answer disclosed itself when the sand coffin holding him in the air turned him around.

There, on the opposite side, stood the real Shoumei and Gaara while the ones he was looking at were but mere sand clones. The red-haired victor stepped closer to look at his new capture.

"I repeat—you are in my land." And with a close of the fist, the sand coffin closed up on him. Mindful of the extra audience, Gaara tripled the layers of sand to muffle the sound of breaking bones and screams. When all was done with, he casually walked back to Shoumei who had her beady eyes glued on him.

"You are staring now."

"In awe," she answered spontaneously, a little too shocked to feel embarrassed.

"Let's head back first."

Shoumei nodded and got up to dust the sand off her clothes. She followed only a few steps behind the Kazekage so when he suddenly halted and turned to face her, she nearly lost her balance. His eyes traveled from his blood-stained arm to the open wound on her leg.

"Why haven't you healed yourself yet?"

"I will," she responded. The curious lord waited for her to do so and didn't seem to be willing to move until she did. "Later—when I find a source." He looked at her in question, and she took to explaining that she herself didn't have the power. "My clan's ability is to convert energy, since we ourselves actually have none to manifest."

Gaara knelt down on one knee to examine the nasty gash caused by what he was certain was a shuriken. He'd seen worse, but he could tell that it hurt far more than she showed. Fortunately, although it was a direct hit, it avoided all vitals.

He stood up once more and offered his arm out to her. "Let me help."

"Don't worry, I can walk on my own." _Why'd you turn around? I was doing just fine following behind you. Now my heart is jumping around again_.

The Kazekage reached for her hand and placed it on his arm. "I meant, try using my chakra."

Shoumei looked at him wide-eyed before turning a little red and then shying away. "It's really okay."

"I insist."

Gaara didn't understand why he was so persistent. Of course he could've easily summoned a sand cloud that could then transport them back to the Suna hospital, but something in him wanted her to continue relying on him.

Shoumei didn't hesitate too long before slowly reaching out her own hand and placing it on his arm. If it was simply the Kazekage's duty to protect his guest, she'd blatantly refuse, but it wasn't. His sea-green eyes rested gently on her and she sensed genuine concern and kindness. That, she couldn't refuse.

Gaara watched with fascination as she extracted his chakra and transferred it to herself. The process was completely different from how he thought it worked, but what intrigued him the most was the feeling. It wasn't abrupt or forced extraction that he once experienced in the hands of the Akatsuki. This was much more delicate. Although he was the one supplying the energy, he was replenished with a rush of energy. The initial feeling was more like a splash of cold water, but what followed felt strangely right. It was as if all the fatigue and stress accumulated over the past weeks suddenly got sucked out and was replaced with a more harmonic balance.

"Does it feel strange?" Shoumei asked a little awkwardly in which Gaara shook his head. "Honestly, I've never extracted from a person before. And to add that I'm transferring it to myself, how selfish it must seem."

The Kazekage didn't expect that. He figured that she must have had years of experience considering the smooth transfer that didn't feel unpleasant in the least.

"How does it work?" he asked curiously. Shoumei's face lit up at the question. It was really the first time he expressed any interest in her.

"I'm not quite sure how exactly to explain it. But the Iyasu people are unique in the way that they are born without chakra or the capacity to carry it. Not even our elder sage knows why. Instead, we are graced with a certain natural balance. Even if disrupted, we innately would maintain and eventually return to the original equilibrium. That would then explain why it doesn't matter what kind of energy we receive because our body naturally converts it to whatever we want or is needed."

"Sounds convenient."

Shoumei nodded. "It is. And with all the nature surrounding my homeland, we have an abundant source of energy. But we try our best to be mindful and not completely squeeze out every last bit of energy of any one thing unless it's an emergency. In simple terms, there is both positive and negative energy in everything. There aren't any set rules, but I make it a habit to only take away the negative, but it takes a little longer because it's like running a filter."

Gaara awarded her with a soft smile that he only shared with his siblings ever so often. She was obviously affected by it since the transfer experienced a tiny shake which sent Shoumei into an even more embarrassed state.

 _She really is quite simple to read_.

While the flustered Iyasu kept her eyes down, Gaara continued to watched her. Simple, but careful and focused. She was gentle and thoughtful, that much he could tell. It surprised him, there were more and more things he could learn to love about this stranger.

"All better," Shoumei exclaimed as she removed her hand and examined her own leg.

Gaara, still intrigued by her clan's gift, knelt down to check himself. Indeed, not even a faint scar was visible. Swiping her black hair out of the way, Shoumei leaned closer to her fiancé until there were only a few inches between them. From that angle, he was indeed much younger than he acted. He had dark circles, but that didn't take away any of the life in his teal eyes. His porcelain skin was a shade or two lighter than her own—surprising considering that he grew up in such sunny weather and she herself in a more shady region. Either way, he was uniquely beautiful.

Shoumei's curiosity then wandered to the red character carved onto his forehead and unconsciously lifted her hand to touch it. Gaara watched cautiously, internally debating to dodge the contact or just stay still and observe her reaction. He was waiting for her to get close enough—close enough to see exactly _how_ that word got etched into his very skin.

Her cold fingertips grazed the surface of his forehead, tracing the unevenness caused by the chosen method of engraving. She couldn't imagine how he got it or how young he was when he did, but it was obvious that it wasn't done professionally. Though it was a miracle that the scarring healed nicely, she could tell the process of etching was done roughly, lacking in even the slightest hint of care. Had she not convinced herself otherwise, she would've been correct to guess it was inflicted by a child. It confused her.

 _Why would anyone do this?_ She looked at the solid lines and was again confused. _Why were there no signs of struggle_? _Why this character of everything_?

It wasn't uncommon to find strangers who stared or displayed some form of curiosity. The kanji stayed on his forehead to serve as a reminder to himself and wasn't exactly a display he wished anyone to judge him by, yet over the years, it did exactly that. The common reaction would be either turning away in disgust or shying away in embarrassment. There were other varied reactions that he learned to cope with since, but he was less successful with the slight anxiety that arose whenever anyone got too close. So this truly was a first—to allow anyone to _examine_ it.

Pushing his red hair out of the way, she offered a sad smile.

"Does it bother you?" Gaara asked softly as he stood back up and once again was looking down at his fiancé.

"If it doesn't bother you, why would it bother me?" She paused with a sad smile. "Unless it bothers you…"

"And if it does?"

"Does it?"

 _It always has_.

"No." Gaara looked apathetically into the distance. No, it shouldn't bother him anymore so it doesn't. The excruciating pain associated with that action, representative of only a tiny faction of the pain he felt in his heart, was but a distant memory. The hurt he voluntarily bore for everyone to see was of the past. The vulnerability he wished to never forget was now but a scar.

 _No?_

Somehow she found it hard to believe. Testing her luck once more, Shoumei extended her hand to his forehead, all the while hoping that he wouldn't reject her. But before she could even create that contact, a worried Temari interrupted.

Shoumei quickly withdrew her hand with the sudden arrival of the three ninja, but she immediately regretted it. She hadn't intended to offend him by taking her hand away, she was just a bit embarrassed to be caught doing something so personal in front of an audience.

Kankuro sensed the awkwardness and suggested that the two early birds go wash up before they all headed out to Konoha. Both of them took older brother's advice with haste, promising to be back within no longer than fifteen minutes.

"Temari, you couldn't give them a few minutes longer?" Kankuro asked smugly.

"Trust me brother. The faster we reach Konoha, they can have as many minutes together as they want," Temari retorted with equal reason.

The puppet master nodded. "I'm just worried when he sees… _her_."

Temari opened her mouth to calm their qualms, but the one next to her extinguished all doubt with an extremely simple, but nonetheless reassuring light-hearted chuckle.

And like calculated by the successor to the Nara clan, there really wasn't any need to worry—the young Kazekage was far from uninterested even if he didn't know so himself.

But there was _that_ one thing that disconcerted him. And he had yet to confront Shoumei about it.

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A/N: ready for a scare? i think i'm only 35% into the story. i wont put this in bold in case you become discouraged lol


	10. Chapter 10

Ch10

It was already night fall and taking into account that Temari and Gaara expended extra energy to transport the non-ninja, the team decided it best to stop for the night. Seeing that his two siblings already retired inside their own tents, Kankuro claimed the last vacant one, leaving Shikamaru and future sister-in-law sitting by the campfire. He didn't have to worry about leaving the two newly acquainted alone since they seemed to be getting along fine.

The shadows of the flames danced for Shoumei who in return shared her excitement by channeling her feelings to a very curious Shikamaru. No wonder Ino was stunned. Her power did not exactly control the mind, yet the feelings being poured in brought along a strong sense of persuasion. It was riveting as it was fearful. It was a good thing that Shoumei didn't seem to be the type to abuse her power because had she, she'd make a great villain.

"This isn't mind manipulation," Shikamaru stated as a half question.

"It isn't an illusion either," Shoumei confirmed.

"Then how?"

"I basically share what I'm feeling and search for that same feeling inside you and amplify it."

Shikamaru rose an eyebrow, disbelieving such a skill. "So manipulation?"

Shoumei shook her head.

"How is it not? You are choosing what feelings you want us to experience. Say, if I was depressed and you _make_ me feel happy, you're warping my senses to think I'm actually happy so that I can _feel_ happy when in reality I wouldn't be had you not exerted the effort."

"I wouldn't amplify what you wouldn't want to feel," Shoumei easily defended.

"But if someone else had your power, they can technically manipulate my feelings?"

The Nara knew he guessed right when a rush of anxiety and anger followed by a surreal calmness brushed across his busy mind. He didn't quite appreciate it when she added in a slip of impatience to tease him.

"If you're asking for a way to counter it, all you have to do is avoid contact," Shoumei added and Shikamaru quickly removed his arm from her touch.

Their serious faces dropped when Shoumei leaked a mischievous grin. The shadow user couldn't help returning one of his own.

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask, why the sudden political marriage?" Shikamaru knew his question didn't go unheard. Shoumei too noticed the sudden eerie silence and deduced that the Sand siblings were listening too.

There was no point to hide anything. Logically speaking, if they didn't have the heart to help after finding out, it wouldn't matter when she actually told them.

"The elders in our clan finally thought it best to seek help."

A few hundred ideas were already circulating inside the Leaf jōnin's head, but as much as he liked guessing, he'd much rather have the girl explain so that he didn't have to relay anything to his very much awake girlfriend listening from a few feet away.

"The direct Iyasu lineage are the main targets. We each carry something a little extra than the average Iyasu," Shoumei admitted.

Shikamaru took hint that any further plying would get him nowhere. Besides, as a rule of friendly relations, it wouldn't be right for her to share with a Leaf ninja before her own betrothed. But since he was at it, he was determined to get at least one more answer.

"By any chance, had your people considered forming an alliance with the Leaf?"

The question took Shoumei by surprise so she remained still as she analyzed the purpose of his question. He was a professional interrogator—his face didn't give her any hints on how she should answer. There was also an uncomfortable shift coming from behind in which Shikamaru silently thanked wasn't from Temari's tent.

And then came Shoumei's signature sigh which didn't do much but strangely put one of the hidden listeners at ease. After a few more seconds of silence, she finally spoke.

"Are you talking about my cousin?"

"There was a brief mention of a requested meeting with the Hokage."

"Yes," was all Shoumei added. She didn't want to threaten their relations with the Sand by speaking out of turn. "How did that go?"

"Considering the wedding with Hinata, Naruto didn't even give it a second thought."

"Did she ask about me?"

"She never turned up."

"I see," Shoumei answered before plunging into deep thought. It was strange to not hear anything from her. Did something happen?

"Well, I'm exhausted." Shikamaru got up and treaded towards his girlfriend's tent before feeling a little tug on his shirt. "Sorry, not sharing Temari tonight. Gaara's tent is that way." The Nara lifted a finger in the opposite direction before ending with a "Good night."

It took some time before Shoumei gathered the courage to head to bed. "Kazekage-sama?" Shoumei shook the tent a little. "Are you still awake?"

 _Yes Iyasu girl, I am. But whatever you want to talk about, save it for tomorrow._

There was no sound so she figured he might have fallen asleep. But it was cold and justifying it best to stay healthy on the journey, she took the liberty to enter.

 _She actually came in_.

Gaara naturally turned over and pretended to sleep. He kept his eyes closed throughout all her shuffling and accidental bumps. Howsoever she convinced herself that he didn't feel it, he didn't quite know. But it was quite entertaining to watch her attempt to freeze each time she did before slowly continuing with whatever she was fussing with.

And after long bouts of clumsy movement, she finally settled and plopped right next to the still very much awake Kazekage.

 _Finally she lays still and somehow…I still can't sleep._

But what he didn't expect was a sudden cold touch grazing his forehead. He almost flinched had he not caught himself.

"If this does bother you, I can take it away," she whispered.

 _Is she referring to the incident from this morning?_

Gaara stiffened, but didn't abandon his pretense.

"But somehow I feel you wouldn't want that," she sighed out.

And to her bewilderment, the Kazekage's emerald eyes flashed open. His hand covered her mouth, muffling a gasp. When she settled, Shoumei gave a small nod and he let her go.

 _If he was awake the whole time, then he must've…_

Shoumei drooped in defeat. Could she embarrass herself anymore?

"And what makes you think that?" the young lord asked, breaking the silence.

His fiancé blinked. Gaara scanned her expression, trying to decipher her feelings while coming to terms with his own.

"We all have our insecurities, but the very fact that you bear it with such confidence…just makes me think you know yourself much more than a lot of people can ever understand about themselves in a lifetime."

Perhaps it was the intimate positioning, lying so close to a stranger and feeling her body warmth. Or maybe it was her sweet voice whispering through the howling wind in the dark. Or maybe it was everything combined. But there was something meaningful in this moment.

How could she be so confident about that when she just met him for a few days? No one he met has ever approached him which such candidness.

"When it was decided that I was to go to the Sand Village to meet the Kazekage, the elders wanted me to prep," the sweet voice filled the tent again. "They wanted me to study up on your history and learn more about you so that you wouldn't dislike me."

Gaara laid quietly in the calmness of the night and the comfort of the dark, simply listening.

"But I was selfish. I asked them not to tell me anything. I wanted to learn about you myself. When I met you, I wanted no prior judgements. I wanted to get to know you as a person rather than someone portrayed in the words of others." Shoumei smiled at the thought. "And I probably just have the courage to say this now, but I'm glad that I chose that route. Though I hate that I'm very unaccustomed to your world and know basically nothing about you, I'm very grateful that I have the chance to get to know you like this."

He too, knew nothing about her. His reasons for not knowing, however, was far different from hers.

Blatantly put, Gaara just wasn't ever interested enough. In fact, he was planning to null the marriage if the chance ever came up. Getting to know the other party? That didn't even cross his mind. Not once.

And somehow, that kind of struck a sense of guilt. Everything he did up until now, how much thought has he put into this compared to her?

Gaara couldn't answer. Here he was pitying himself for being forced into this, occasionally sparing that pity to Shoumei. But in that instant, he knew he was wrong.

She was trying this whole time to make things work, but he -

His train of thoughts broke off when a warm touch landed on the side of his arm. Not only was the noise in his head fading, there was this extra energy that was patching up the tiny cracks in his heart.

…

Upon reaching Konoha, the travelers were welcomed by familiar faces.

"So Shikamaru and the Sand sibs finally arrive!" Kiba's loud voice boomed within the gates.

"Kiba! Akamaru!" Shoumei's tired eyes lit up. She ran ahead of her companions and gave the Leaf ninja a hug and then subsequently one to Akamaru who was equally pleased to see her.

Kiba walked to the right side of Shoumei. His partner, Akamaru, took to the left as they all made their way to the Hokage Tower.

All along, she looked thrilled to see Kiba and her hand never left Akamaru. Gaara noticed. She never smiled like that in front of him. Why is she so friendly with Kiba? Or is she just friendly with the Leaf? Either way, it didn't sit too well with him.

"Kazekage-sama!" a happy voice called out. Gaara looked up to see Shoumei skipping back next to him.

"You don't want to talk to Kiba anymore?"

Shoumei shook her head. "We're almost to the Tower. When we see Naruto and tell him the news, I just want to be by your side." A shy smile sat on her face. "Is that okay with you, Kazekage-sama?"

He nodded. In fact, that would be best. "Yes. It would put up a good show."

 _A good show._

"Right," Shoumei agreed. But kept her eyes lowered for the rest of the walk.

…

"WHAT?!" Naruto exclaimed when he processed that his Sand brother was engaged. "Congratulations! I was worried that I'd have grandchildren before I could see you with someone! And now YOU are getting married! Now we can be married together!"

"That sounds weird Naruto," Shikamaru said, scratching the back of his head.

"You must definitely invite me to your wedding!" Naruto shouted with excitement. He was definitely very enthusiastic, more so than for his own wedding one could say.

"That's why I'm here. To personally inform and invite you. It should take place within the next two months," Gaara said calmly to the completely fired up blonde.

"And I have to find a wedding gift! What do you want?"

"Just your attendance is enough," the Sand head replied humbly. "I hope you can make it."

"I will definitely be there! And so will Hinata!"

 _Hinata…_

Faint footsteps were in the background for a while, but they grew louder as they approached. And as Gaara expected, the door to the office popped open in mere seconds.

As apparent as his heart raced, a heavy feeling clamped down in his chest.

"You're getting married?" a soft gentle voice asked.

Gaara was wide-eyed.

"Congratulations. I'm so happy for you."

Like he remembered, she was sweet. But somehow, her sweetness bit at him.

"Thank you…Hinata."

Shoumei looked from a smiling Hinata to her quiet fiancé. She understood right away.

The show was for… _her_.

* * *

Last updated: 7/21/17; Published: 1/02/18

 **A/N: Hey everyone! So glad you're still here to support Gaara and Shoumei ^^**


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